It was another hectic afternoon at the shop, and Little Johnny was wrapping up his shift.
The atmosphere was tense — a difficult customer had just stormed out after a heated exchange. While most of the staff stayed quiet and cautious, Johnny, ever bold and unfiltered, wasn’t about to let himself be pushed around.
But what he didn’t expect was how quickly the fallout would land him in hot water.
Boss (shouting): “Little Johnny, to my office — now!”
Little Johnny: “Yes, sir!”
Boss: “I saw what happened with that customer. How many times have I told you — the customer is always right? Do you understand me?”
Little Johnny: “Yes, sir! The customer is always right.”
Boss: “Then what was all that arguing about?”
Little Johnny: “He called my boss stupid and an idiot, sir.”
Boss (outraged): “Unbelievable! And what did you say to him?”
Little Johnny: “I told him he was right.”
The room fell silent.
Johnny’s sharp-tongued honesty left his boss speechless. What started as a textbook reprimand had flipped into a comedy of unintended self-burns.
While the age-old mantra “the customer is always right” was meant to keep service smooth, Johnny had cleverly — and brutally — followed it to the letter.
It was an unexpected moment of levity in a tense day, but one with a hint of truth. Perhaps the boss learned two things that day: that Little Johnny takes instructions a bit too literally — and that a little self-awareness never hurts.
Whether it was courage or cheek, Johnny walked out of that office with a straight face… and possibly a new kind of respect.