It is a clever line with empathy from her to lighten the mood as you noted. It also displays my number one grammar pet peeve and it's on her as it's a quote. Was should have been were. The proper use is the subjunctive not the past tense. It particularly irks me when I see it in a movie or TV show spoken in the wrong manner by a character that should know better, or by a person hosting a TV show.

Anyway, excellent story Rebecca with life lessons. Here's another. When dealing with customer service, get a manager on the phone much earlier in the process of repeated calls.

I loved the line and image of the Phoenix rising in your eye with the olive branch.