iFail69 said:
Nope. Simply, I do not get overtly angry, let alone violent.
I'm good at self-control, I'd only ever fight back, but would never strike the first blow, nor would I be likely to start yelling in anger. Yelling accomplishes nothing, being calm accomplishes a lot.
This. When customers become angry and decide to take it out on me, I smile. The angrier they get, the happier and more friendly/helpful I become. If they're screaming, I'm grinning from ear to ear and dripping sweet honey from my silver tongue. They look like lunatics and witnesses see how well I handle them. Plus, my job is dreadfully dull and most interruptions of the daily doldrums are welcome, even if they're beet red and spitting.
Angry people want to be taken seriously. Ignoring them is effective and will aggravate them. Smiling and/or laughing will infuriate them. If you're in need of free entertainment, look no further than the man who forgot his I.D. and consequently cannot buy alcohol, as he appears to be in his twenties. Also, he's likely drunk, meaning I wouldn't sell him alcohol regardless of I.D. He loudly threatens me, which amuses me to no end, since there are others within earshot who may aid me. Based on his condition, he'd be no threat. Judging by his apparel, he's not hiding a weapon larger than a small/midsize pocketknife (which would be easily outclassed by any number of readily available, improvised, nonlethal weapons). Finally, I'm a martial artist and he's no larger than I am, making him especially susceptible to a good, hard throw.
Using violence when retreat is an option is stupid. As such, I'd never resort to violent acts unless my family/friends or I were in unavoidable danger.
