When customer support or sales people are extremely rude and unreasonable, I have the tendency to fight back. But ever since I started blogging, I found an easier tactic. I smile (at the worst, sneer), shut my mouth, walk away and go straight to my laptop.

Dear short-haired Pinay in this optical shop in the corner of Khalifa and Muroor,

I walked into your shop last night, all bright and cheery and asked you a simple question.

”Do you charge for eye consultations.”

Why did you have to be so rude and alienating with your brows raised as high as the tallest building in Dubai?

I tried again, asked another question in the friendliest tone I had. You just sat there and answered me in a blunt tone with your eyes glued to your phone. You didn’t even get up from the customers’ couch. Note: you have a customers’ couch and I was standing, you were sitting.

I worked as a sales executive long enough to know that here we have crappy customers but when a fellow Filipino walked through my doors, I gave them the best service I could. I get that in this country, oftentimes, other nationalities do not treat us with respect (which every human race deserves) so the least we can do is to be courteous to each other. Because you and I share the same roots, the same flag, and the same presidents thrown into jail.

Good thing I have blurry eyes, I do not have a mental picture to remember you.

Because of you, will I tell people to visit your shop?

Your service deserved a dead fish but your co-worker with the long hair was friendly enough. This upgrade is because of her.