Learning the Non-Mansplaining Ropes?

I toyed with which image to use - - the charitable, "he'll figure it out, once he learns the ropes" or the funny picture worth a thousand words?

There's a new customer service guy at the bike shop. Not all the bike shop dudes are mansplainy from the get go, and some that have been have admirably gotten it out of their system. (Maybe it isn't mansplaining, and just some sort of bias in terms of thinking what a cyclist looks like? But I am a woman, and they are men, so it feels mansplainy...)

Anyhow, the new guy asks, "What's up." I say, "I just went down to two chain rings in the front. I know to expect some rubbing and sound when I've got crossover with my chain, but it seems excessive regardless of which gear I'm in up front, so I am wondering if someone can check the cables to see if they need to be tightened and if they don't, I am wondering if something could be adjusted to minimize the number of gears where the chain rubs the derailleur and have it rub when I'm in a gear I won't frequently use."

So it isn't the way a bike mechanic or a super handy person would describe the problem, but I have some thoughts, yes? Yes. He proceeds to explain, in great detail, chain crossover to me and how it will result in rubbing and sound and that's just the way it is. Riiiight. Yesss.

Enter James, observing from afar: "Hey Maggie, what's up?"
Me: "My chain is rubbing, it seems excessive. Something seems off. Can you guys look at my cable? If that doesn't solve it, can we make an adjustment to minimize the rubbing?"
James: "Sure. We just worked on this bike recently, right? I'm having a similar issue with my bike. It is annoying"
Mechanic behind him: "Oh, yeah, we do just need to tighten your new cable, and don't forget that with your new shifters, you can do this (click) to minimize any rubbing sound."

So whatever this new guy's name is, I am sure he'll figure it out like some of the others have. But in the meantime, I will adopt the strategy I have used in the past:  learn what days my favorites are in the shop.

But now my around-town errand bike is nice and quiet and shifts well! So, I am looking forward to errand running this weekend, and am getting exited for next weekend's overnight ride around town for which I may want panniers to pack layers and extra bike lights. Woo! Bikey bikey.