the cashier manifesto

you asked for it, so here you go: the story of the rudest woman in lynchburg.  and some ranting.  remember, you asked for it.

i was at work yesterday afternoon (for those who are unaware, i work at bed, bath and beyond … aka hell.  i’m pretty sure that if i wasn’t saved and was to go to hell, my version would look like the front end of my store and have a never-ending line of rude customers with stupid questions.) … things are going ok.  the day was passing slowly like it always does when i don’t want to be there.  but everything was fine until about 1230- this woman in a grouchy mood comes through my line with an expired coupon.  (note: coupons are a PRIVILEGE, not a RIGHT.  the company prints and mails out coupons as a COURTESY.  and they DO have an expiration date on them.  some districts accept them regardless of date, as did we- until january of 2008.  we will usually make an exception for you that day … and if its not more than a couple months old.) her’s expired 3/30/08 … i told her that i would take it today (for her $10.91 purchase) but that we stopped accepting the out of dates ones last year.  she seemed fine with that, and thanked me.  she had a shopping cart with her (yes, for her one small item), which is fine … you pick up carts at the front door in the foyer; makes sense that you’d leave it there when you leave, right? [evidently not … b/c about 1/3 of my day at work consists of moving the carts that people seem to think its ok to leave in front of the register even when there are 8 people in line behind them. awesome. so i sweetly ask them to return the cart to the foyer on their way out the door (after all, you have to walk past it!), thank them, and tell them that i greatly appreciate it. ] she finished paying for her transaction and turned to leave.  i let her get a few steps away- just to make sure she was actually a cart-leaving transgressor – before i asked her to make sure her cart ended up back in the foyer where she picked it up.  she turned and looked at me and said ‘well, i would think that that’s your problem!’  two of the 5 people in line behind her actually gasped out loud … and one even said ‘how rude!’.  i said ‘excuse me?’ she kept walking, so i turned and watched her in disbelief as she walked out of the store.  she turned and looked at me one last time before she went out the door- made eye contact!- and kept going.

REALLY? yes, really.

the woman behind her in line actually apologized to me for the rude woman’s behavior.  it was a nice gesture … and she asked me if she could take the rude woman’s cart out to the door for me.  (yeah, she actually called her ‘the rude woman’. haha) very sweet!

i realize that you’re reading this and thinking … ‘yeah that was rude, but what’s the fuss about? that’s just customer service in lynchburg.’ and yes, you’re right.  you’re also the reason i hate my job.  i realize that its a low paying hourly job and that i choose to work there.  and please, don’t think that every day i wake up and cry that i have to go to work (cause that’s only every other day! haha).  i really don’t hate it … i do get frustrated that i have to be sweet all day, and take the return of the sheets that you bought last year when you got married and have done only you know what in for the last 6 months and you bring them back because you don’t like the shade of green that they are.  i do get frustrated when people choose not to show common courtesy and at least acknowledge the fact that i greeted them when they came in, or said hello when they came to check out.  and i really get frustrated when a little old woman tries to tell me how she wants that free bridal wrapping job done.  its a free wrap job ladies- and we have procedures.  so no, i cannot give you 10 sheets of tissue paper for that gift.  and no, i cannot swaddle that box in tulle ribbon.  yes, i’m going to wrap that crystal platter in tissue before i put it in the box, and yes, i’m going to attach your free gift tag.  yes i’m going to put the gift receipt in the bag.  but maybe i won’t if you keep asking me all these dumb questions.  and yes, if it says that its $34.99 … chances are, its $34.99.  and if i tell you we’re out of stock on the ‘as-seen-on-tv topsy turvy’, then that means we are freaking out of stock! i’m not hiding them in the back.  and for goodness’ sake- don’t call ahead and ask us to shop from a bridal registry! are you really that lazy?! (if you’re a 92 year old woman who just had hip replacement, that’s another story.  i’m happy to shop for you- you don’t need to be doing laps searching for that special pepper grinder.)

moral of the story: be nice to your cashier.  its not a simple job.  and you’re not the only person that has been rude to her that day.  but you could be the one that she remembers as she drives away and decides that maybe today was a good day.

ok seriously.  i’m done.  but it really does make me mad the way people treat retail workers.  and the worst ones are those who i watch walk out and they get into a ‘not i, but christ’ vehicle, or some other church-y sticker.  where do we get the notion that a company owes us something anyway? if you’re mad that someone won’t take your EXPIRED coupon, go to target.  or kmart.  or walmart.  or big lots.  anywhere, really.  i say all this in the hopes that you will remember me when you’re checking out at walmart tomorrow, and that maybe you’ll decide to be nicer to the cashier.  its not only the courteous thing to do, its just nice.

ok, for real this time.

on a different note: i get to eat on monday!!!!!!! (all the peasants rejoiced) cheerios, here i come … and my dad told me today that he saved me a homegrilled, secret sauce covered BBQ chicken.  you better believe that me and that chicken will be having some sweet fellowship come monday dinner.  i’m so happy.