Open Diary Entries


Demonic

08/12/02

To the tune of "Ironic" by Alanis Morissette:

Isn't it demonic?

Don'cha think?

It's like hellspawn came to my bookstore!

Gotta learn to read...or don't come back no more!

Have to kiss their ass, and try to ignore

The stupidity of their questions....

I have no idea why people find it necessary to ask questions when the answers are printed in front of them. Don't ask me how much something is when there's a big ass price sticker on it. Don't ask me "Is this the checkout?" when you're standing under a giant sign that says "checkout." Don't tell me your card hasn't expired when it has "Exp: 4/2/01" on it.

I was discussing with a customer why our cooking section is so messed up. I explained that people look at the book they picked up and put it back wherever, because why should THEY care if the next person can find it? They got what THEY needed, so it's no longer their problem. It's funny, people don't realize that almost everyone is like that, but they are. I was telling the lady that because the cooking section doesn't have someone who babysits it, it gets messed up pretty fast. Then I told her about how I have to babysit the children's section.

"But kids are different," she said, as if she knew. "Kids put things back where they found them."

"You'd think that, wouldn't you," I said.

"Well, didn't you when you were a little girl?"

"I imagine that if I didn't behave I heard it from my mom. But not everyone cares if their kids behave."

This is true. I have watched it happen. Kids are playing with a book or a toy, and their mom or dad calls them, and they either shove their amusement of choice onto any shelf in any condition, or they simply drop it on the floor. Other times they hold onto it and their parent takes it out of their hand and throws it onto any display or table. There have been times when they sit on the floor and pile up a giant stack of books, and then just get up and leave. (This applies to kids and adults, though adults more than kids.)

Their excuse is "they have people to clean it up."

Well, I'm not going to be careless with my beverages at a restaurant just because if I spill my drink, they'll probably seat me elsewhere and clean up the mess whether I'm sorry or not. I'm not going to leave my crap in the movie seat when the preview dealie clearly asks me to toss out my trash into the proper receptacle, which is a trash can that I pass on my way out. I'm not going to throw junk out my car window just because it's easier and no one is going to punish me.

And no, you are NOT "giving someone a job" when you make messes. You are annoying people who already have a job. It is actually very rare that anyone is hired specifically to clean up, except in the cases of janitors, who clean and sanitize as a necessary part of maintenance. Do you really think that if you (and everyone else) stopped leaving your shit in the movie chairs, they would fire the ticket-tearers and ushers? That's like saying we are all justified in breaking laws...because without lawbreakers, those poor lawyers, judges, and cops will lose their jobs.

I would not lose my job as the children's department head if people completely stopped messing up my section. In fact, the store would be cleaner and easier to shop in, because I wouldn't spend so much time cleaning up after people who never learned that they should put their toys away when they're done playing.

Do not take it upon yourself to give me a job. I have one.


Notes:

oooh, ooh, trying to use logic against the sheep! Unfortunately, I have no faith in them listening, much less comprehending. [Meggie]


Hee hee, you are reminding me of the movie "Clerks." :D I love your "Work files" on your web page as well. [Freder]


I hear you on that....I wish I had a dime for every stupid question I have had to answer in my time with customer service. Sometimes they give you that I wanna reach out and choke you mentality, of course knowing that you really can't do anything about it, if I want to keep my job. :) [†BrotherJimWDJD]


*TSK TSK* My mother may "steal my time" but she's taught me well. Actually, these kids were in a bookstore (kids section) and I happened to be across the aisle. They were leaving all the books they looked at ON THE FLOOR and there parents were no where in sight. I went up to them and in my best "I could be your babysitter, so LISTEN!" voice I told them to put back the books on the shelf. I rock. [katqueen]

previous entry * open diary start * next entry