-- Is the sound of me being buried under a mountain of laundry. That I have to do today. That I don't wanna do. (Did that sound whiny to you? If not, back up and read again until it does.)
Auughhh! I am aware that the Christmas (or Christmahannukwanzakah) season is a joyous one. But from the retail perspective ..... waldskjg;awlrethyg. Totally crazy.
I've seen customers leave long register lines to fetch something for a total stranger.
I've been cussed out by a customer for not selling her liqueur candies before noon on Sunday. (FYI -- Glen Ellyn Villiage ordinance prohibits it. We could lose the liquor license and I'd lose my job. So totally not worth it.)
I saw a woman stop her shopping to make sure a crying little girl found her mommy.
I've had customers try to force me to open a register to which I am not assigned.
Two days ago, a little boy (about 2 1/2 years old) was singing, "Jingle bells, batman smells, Robin laid the [sic] egg .... batmobil mumble a wheel, Joker got away, HEY!" Over. And over. And over. And all the customers in line around him were just cracking up. (Mom was mortified.)
One woman complained the she couldn't get her Napa Creek (or is it Valley? We've had several geological features of Napa in wine form) wine anymore. I tried to explain that it was a one-time deal, we put that on the sign, es no mas. "But my family drank it all the time. You don't understand -- wine is like water to us!" Then she was upset about the potstickers. Well, ma'am, that vendor went out of business. Can't get no potstickers from a factory that don't exist, you see. "But they were so good! I don't know why you guys get rid of everything I like!" Rrgh.
Every morning I knock on the glass with my keys. Someone opens the door for me, I sign in. Check the Daily Log for morning instructions. Trudge across the front (dodging flower pallets), say hi to Alicia (flower child), the Bread Person, Joe (produce guy). Right after seeing Joe, I always notice this one case of onions. It's there every morning by the time I get in. Same place, on the floor right under the conventional cherry tomatoes. It's got a cartoon of a figure with an onion bulb for a head. This "head" has a pink bow on the top (tying up the remains of the stem, I guess) and long eyelashes. The Onion Girl is wearing a knee-length white skirt that "she" is holding up as she curtsies. Right next to this character are the words "Sweetie Sweet." Every day a new box, but always the same place, always from the same vendor.
This is a very disturbing recurring image to have. Little Miss Sweetie Sweet has started showing up in my dreams.
So I'm OK. Have good moments and bad moments at work, I try to remember the good ones more. (The last customer example above I have decided is hilarious. Oh so frustrating at the time, because communication was so not happening, but it's funny now.)
I'll post more later after I dig myself out from under this pile of chores.
See you in February!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
ah yes, i can relate. so, you remember winter in minnesota, right? it's not all that different from winters in Wheaton. well, it's been not too cold, but cold enough. CenterPoint Energy (reminder: natural gas company) is now in "high bill season". customers call in adamant that we're wrong. their bill has "NEVER been this high"... Thank God for usage history. "Actually ma'am, this time last year you used even more gas." "...oh, so this is right?" "yes, it is." "oh, ok. sorry." (that's the extremely condensed version.)
hope you are doing well. i got your package. haven't opened up the presents yet. How did you get my snoopy stocking hanger!? THANK YOU!!! i was missing it... we should talk sometime. I'm going to dad's tonight before heading down to iowa. maybe i'll call you later today.
in the meantime, you should check this out: http://attrition.org/postal/z/033/0871.html
Alysia
Remember not all customers are evil. Some of them are just very CN. Can't fault them too much. P.S. Can't wait to try to erase the website off our marker board as I have written it there 3 months ago with very good intentions of visiting your really cool site.
Ben and Giacinta
Oh, please. Do I remember?!? Who's almost 3 years older than you?!?
Mom mailed me all our stocking hangers last year. Including hers. Don't know why.
Ben, I disagree with the theory that the problem customers are Chaotic Neutral. I would differ that they are very Lawful; we just don't know what those laws are yet.
so, i didn't call you. oops. happy Christmas! i WILL call you... sometime.
...and i knew you'd remember. i was just going for... dramatic effect? sure. that's it.
Post a Comment