i guess i will never get used to working retail. i am much too vocal in my beliefs and have expectations of others that are totally unreal.
i have complained of this before in an entry, but this time, i could get fired.
why are people so nasty and why do they have to get innocent people involved in their drama?
i had a customer come in the day before the fourth who wasn't cheerful or friendly. but then, half my customers are that way, so it doesn't bother me. i check her things and bag them, and while doing so, she has her hands on her now empty buggy looking for the buggy corral. i told her (nicely) "oh, if you would like to return it, they are over there" and pointed to the corral. it was then she sorta snapped...........she pushed the buggy out into the middle of the floor, in the direct path of other customers, and in the way of my register access. but it was what she said that totally took me off guard..........with malice in her voice she says "no, i don't think so. i will leave it here for someone who gets paid to put it up." oh my gosh.............like my near minimum wage pay is enough to put up with customers like her AND constantly put up buggies.............sheeeesh. ok, i am grinding my teeth to keep from saying something to her.............instead, i lightly tell her how silly i am when i go into wal-mart and find myself putting things back in their proper places, straightening items on shelves..............(out of habit or out of wanting to be helpful, which, i don't know)..........but i do that when i go into a store. i guess she assumed i was telling her she should be more like me and do the "right thing" and put things back. she went into a tirade about she wasn't an employee of the store and she had no intention of doing something she wasn't paid for and if i didn't get paid to do it, then the store should hire someone to put up buggies. she was fussing and fussing and i just walked off after thanking her for shopping with us, and put the stupid buggy back.
a few minutes later some old friends from my church came up and saw that i was almost in tears, and had heard the woman fussing, so asked me what happened, and i just told them a customer was fussing about putting a buggy back up. i looked up and there was the be-yatch..........she started yelling she wanted the manager immediately. so, i called our assistant manager up and she began her tirade with him. he, of course, calmly agreed with her that it wasn't my place to offer my opinions and he would talk to me. that wasn't good enough for her..............she wanted corporate's number and address and fully intends to report me.
i walked off to put another basket and buggy up, because i was about to cry. when i walked near the classroom, one of my co-workers motioned me into the room. she closed the door, and reached over and hugged me tightly and i lost it. i started crying and couldn't stop. she kept whispering to me that no matter what happened, i shouldn't let someone affect me that way, that they were the ones making a fool of themselves.
then my manager called me to my register and my co-worker went out for me and told him i couldn't come out, i was hysterical. he came in and talked to me, calmly, and told me that the woman was truly psychotic, but you have to assume they have rights and go with it. he said she was obviously having a bad day before she ever came into the store, and i just happened to be the lucky recipient of her anger. (i was trying to talk amidst sobs, snuffling like a two year old who has just gotten into trouble). then he said that sometimes it is best to keep one's mouth shut instead of trying to smooth over something. well, i agree. even though i have heard it said often that one person can't argue with themselves, i think in this case, that doesn't apply. i think she has numerous arguments with herself on a daily basis.
i went to the breakroom and composed myself and went back out to work. my face and eyes were puffy and red, and several kids looked at me oddly. but i made it through the rest of the shift. i kept my mouth shut, saying only "hello" "how are you?" and "thank you, have a nice fourth". if i can remember on a daily basis to keep my mouth shut when people try to ruffle my feathers, i will be better off.
but on the other hand, my bubbly personality has made me alot of really nice customers and even some friends who will not let anyone else wait on them if i am there, and who even give me cards and little gifts when they know i have been ill or sad or just because they want to. i love my customers, and love talking to them. but like my manager said, i have to know who i can talk to and who i can't. if i feel the customer is having a bad day, just be courteous and get them the hell out of the store, lol.
but, i still wish that all those idiots out there that can find the buggies to put their purchases in but can't seem to find the buggy coral to put it back when they have to go right by it........................try putting yourself in our shoes...........we are overworked, underpaid and truly under appreciated. we all have bad days from time to time and tend to take it out on others that are truly innocent. life is way too short to be angry all the time. i have numerous things i could let make me angry, and sometimes they do. but i have to stop and remember that if i let them rule me, then i am the one who has lost.
i am not fond of working retail and hope to someday soon find a nice boring corner office data entry job, working my 40 hours a week and going home and leaving my work at work. any offers out there?????????????????
thanks for letting me vent...........this is the version i could print in public. i also have the "bleeped" version in my private journal.
to all those out there in retail.................KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, AND DON'T LET THOSE MEAN NASTY CUSTOMERS RUFFLE YOU...............
