Example – the other night I ordered food from a pizza place. And when I got it home there was meat in my breaded ravioli. I distinctly ordered “cheese” breaded ravioli. In fact I said it twice, once while ordering “…and an order of cheese breaded ravioli.” And then again when the person on the phone said “Did you want meat or cheese?” “Cheese.”
So I called to inform them that they gave us the wrong kind. I don’t know what I expected. Maybe they would apologize and offer to refund my credit card for that portion of the bill? But instead the dude on the phone said “You said meat. I distinctly remember that order and you definitely said meat.” Why would I say meat when I haven’t eaten red meat in 15 years? I refrained from replying that way, and instead said “No I definitely would never have said meat.” To which this person said “OK well what do you want us to do?” I ended up saying “It’s not a big deal. Don’t worry about it.” And hanging up. But what does a normal person do under these circumstances? Just not call in the first place? Or argue? Help
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Eh. Well, your example is much narrower than your overall point “faking normalcy.”
As far as the example, the number of business f-ups is amazing, and it’s really hard to win the argument, even when you’re in the right (thinking about trying to get my car fixed right here). Some people are good at that, I never have been. I have gotten the best results by staying calm, maybe injecting a little humor, and kind of outlasting them. Basically saying (in effect), “no that doesn’t work for me.” Your point about not being a meat eater is a good one. If you could have worked that in–“Dude I don’t eat red meat, no way in hell I would have ordered that!”–it would be hard to argue with. (But tough to think of that on the spot).
Also be more direct–“What do you want us to do?” “Make me a cheese ravioli!! Stat!” 🙂
Anyway, that’s a narrow point tho. Not sure–why do you feel that you have to fake normalcy? What do you mean by normalcy exactly?
Any decision is good as long as you avoid taking it while being very angry or under other intense emotional states