Sigh.

This goes in the department of henna woes.

Caller: Hi, I'm calling about henna tattoos. [aside: for the love of whatever deity, please don't call it a tattoo.] How much do they cost?
Me: [friendly, inquisitive] My hourly rates are [X] per hour for appointments and I have a one-hour minimum for the Seattle area... are you having a party or getting married?
Caller: Really? [X]? Wow, that's really expensive. I just want a little flower on my ankle, can you do that?
Me: Sure, I can do that... but like I said, my rate is [X] per hour, so do you maybe have a group of friends that would like to get together for this so you can all split the cost? I can do a lot of henna in an hour.
Caller: I don't think so, this is kind of a spur of the moment thing for me... So do you think maybe you would give me a discount?
Me: A discount? [baffled] I'm sorry, my rate is [X] per hour...
Caller: [exasperated] Yes, but I can't *afford* that. Can't you give me a deal? I know henna doesn't cost very much and the design I want would only take about 10 minutes.
Me: [incredulous] No, I'm very sorry, but it doesn't work that way. Do you give discounts on your hourly wage when someone tells you that it won't take you the whole hour to finish the project they've just given you?
Caller: [baffled] Um... what?
Me: Thanks for calling. (Click.) [Proceed to give self a congratulatory pat on the back for not reaching through the phone line and yanking the idiotic caller's tonsils out]

Oh well, if it wasn't this it would be something else, eh? I try to have a good attitude about people. By that I do not mean an overly trusting, naive attitude... just that I try not to automatically think everyone is 1. stupid, B. rude or 2. a combination of the two. So when I'm confronted with blatant displays of stupidity or rudeness/meanness--and those three words pretty much encompass a wide swath of bad behavior-- it gives me a shock. It's somewhat dismaying but also somewhat entertaining at the same time. I just try to maintain the mindset that it's not what other people do, it's how I react to it when it affects me that matters... and if nothing else it makes for a good story.