On Friday afternoons I go into one of my clients store and work in the back on my own stuff and lend a hand out front when customers have questions or quick jobs I can do while they wait.
As I'm finishing up at the shift change at 18:00 one of the new staff members came back to ask if I would look at some work of hers if she brought it in the following week. We got through the niceties and then she said, "Is it true that you keep snakes?" I said yes, three, but that I'm currently learning all I can about tarantulas and that I'd made room for a few at home now.
We were in a back room of a sedate jewelery store, but every word that followed from her increased in pitch and volume. It was like she was on rails and although I tried to defuse the situation, nothing worked so I eventually just began to withdraw attention from here her and write up an invoice. I heard about the garter snake in the window well, and possibly every spider that's ever crossed her path. She was supposed to be out front working, but instead it was like she was in a trance. After a twenty minute rant, I finally interrupted her and encouraged her to bring her work in and that estimates were free and I'd look forward to seeing the pieces next Friday.
I watched as she gave herself what appeared to be a mental "shake" and she clicked back into the person I had met previously. :D This is potent stuff. I am not sure what to expect in the future, but I am gaining more respect for keeping a lower profile.
