On Friday, our department had a team-building experience. We started with lunch, followed by some fun painting pottery.
We had a budget at the pottery place. Many of us chose pottery pieces that were well under budget. We ended up with $70 extra. It meant that each one of us could get an ice cream treat somewhere for $7 each.
We did a quick search around the area for an ice cream joint. We found this La Diperie. It was a six-minute walk westbound.
I am glad that I spent some time walking in Ottawa under hot, humid conditions earlier this month. The conditions were similar walking over to this place, but it was much shorter.
Maybe I'm simply more prepared because:
- I have finally broken into my newish sandals with an incline
- the sidewalk going to this ice cream place was uneven and I had practice looking down more earlier this month
- I didn't walk like a lunatic the previous two days, so my legs were less Jello-ish
We managed to duck under some shaded trees as we walked over. My colleague had his kids, seven and four years of age, with him. They seemed to be fine.
This ice cream place is on the north side of Lake Shore Boulevard West. It's in a plaza-like area with other businesses, but the entrances face the street.
I walked into the store. It was packed.
With $7 to work with, I decided to give the vegan menu a try. I was in line. My colleague with his kids were ahead of me. My other colleague who took over my event-organizing duties was behind me.
There were two staffers behind the counter. Both were South Asian in decent.
Something odd happened to me for the first time. They went ahead and served my colleague and his kids. They then skipped me and went with event-organizing woman.
Why? They didn't explain their reason for ignoring me when I was in line like a polite human being.
I stood in front of the ice cream selections. The man finally said to me that the woman would help me out. She came over at long last.
I was annoyed. I said that I wanted mango sorbet. She said in a rather condescending tone that she didn't have mango sorbet. Okay, you have a menu saying sorbet. You don't list your flavours. I am also looking at something cold that looks like mango. Give this customer a break.
Below that menu was mango soft serve that was listed, which is vegan. I became extremely precise and said that I'll take a large mango soft serve scoop in a cup.
I then asked about dips and add-ons. Dipping is an extra 75 cents. Add-ons are $1.25. Both would make my dessert go over $7. I waived both off.
She gave my cup of soft serve. I then confronted her by asking why she skipped over me in the lineup.
Her reasoning was that the others were "a family." Um, no. We are a team of nine writers and one manager.
I didn't understand her logic or thinking. Three of us are of Asian heritage, including my manager. This woman was fine clumping him into this "family," although the majority are South Asian.
I don't want to know what her definition of family is here. I do know that the way that she treated this customer was wrong.
I said that I was a part of this group. We are not a family in the traditional sense of the word. You, woman, assumed incorrectly and singled me out. You never asked if I was a part of the group. You should have asked if I was, instead of treating me like dirt and making a poor judgment call.
She tried to apologize. The damage had already been done.
I was hoping to like my mango soft serve. I had such a poor experience that I didn't enjoy it. I downed it and left.
My friend and colleague wasn't expecting to stay for ice cream after we were done painting our pottery pieces. He actually passed having ice cream, but needed to head downtown to celebrate his sister's birthday. He had his bag in my car, as I had driven us over to this area. I offered to drive him downtown, so I ended up wolfing down my not-so-worth-it soft serve.
I oddly did not get brain freeze. It wasn't cold enough.
I don't know whether my other colleagues had enjoyed their frozen treats. They had finished theirs long before I was able to place my order.
I won't be returning to this place again. Staff should treat each customer with respect. If staffers think that you're a part of a family and aren't sure, they should ask and confirm. I hope that their poor actions in judgment don't affect other customers and that they'll change their mindset.
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