Would you treat a customer this way?...

OHD,
Times are different when you started doing business 45 years ago. There wasn't internet or email as a means of communication or placing orders. I do a lot of correspondence via email when I'm looking for something in order to get info and feel places out before I buy from them. I can't always call. Besides, as someone else posted earlier, it would be a bigger waste of a vendors time for a cutomer/potential customer/fake customer/tire kicker/"swift" to call with a question and spend 20 minutes on the phone, when an email can be checked when it's convenient and takes less time to read and write (maybe not for you, I get the feeling reading and writing may not be your strong points).
Right now is a perfect example of a time when I'm doing business via email instead of calling or stopping by; I'm in Iraq, so I can't exactly break out my cell phone, and stopping by would be even more difficult. I am, however, making purchases of car parts over the internet so they're at home when I get there...and get this...I've emailed every one of the vendors (Rick@Layson's being one of them) prior (that means before) to making a purchase.
If I email 3 places about the same product I'm looking for, I'm probably not going to buy from one that doesn't respond, and definitely won't buy from one with an attitude like yours or the person at the shop in question. Maybe you have done ok with your business doing it your way, but think about how much better it could have been.

Dave