I Know How To Do My Job, Thanks

I've come to the conclusion that I hate people. Yeah, didn't have the greatest day at work today. In fact, it pretty much blew.

So I'm at the service desk and this guy comes up to me with (no lie) 18 pairs of shorts to return. Apparently he bought them all at original price and then bought them again when they got marked down towards the end of the summer for the lower price. Okay, fine. People do this a lot since we don't price adjust clearance items. They buy the item at the lower price and return it with the original receipt when they bought it at full price. There's really nothing we can do to stop this if the item numbers match and honestly it really doesn't bother me when you have the receipt.

But when you make me do a receipt-lookup off of your credit card, then its starts to get a little frustrating. Whenever I look something up off of your card, its going to automatically give me the lowest price that you bought it at. There's nothing I can do about that. You need the receipt if you want the original price back. But this guy hands me his credit card and says he needs me to look up this items for him. 

"And I'm going to need you to scan each of these more than once, just to make sure I'm getting the highest price I paid for them. I bought them all more than once when they were marked down," He proceeds to tell me.

So I said, still trying to sound polite and pleasant, "I'm not really allowed to do this off of your credit card when you're trying to return clearance items. I need the receipt."

And this is when he starts to get ugly with me. Seriously, this guy was just plain mean. There's no other word to describe it. "Yes, you can do this. I've never had any problems before. You can do it, its not hard. You just take the tag, scan it three times, and make sure I am getting my full refund back. I shouldn't have to explain this for you, its not hard. And I need you to tell me the price that I am getting back when you do it."

Are you kidding me, guy? Are you really telling me how to do my job? Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I forgot I'm just a mindless moron who chooses to work in retail. You must be smarter than me since I'm behind the counter and you are not. He's probably one of those guys who assumes anybody who works there full-time is either a high-school dropout who got knocked up when they were sixteen or just too dumb to go to college. Yeah, well its not true buddy. And just because you have the college degree and I do not does not give you the right to tell me how to do my job! Or tell me that its not hard. 

Gahh I'm just so frustrated! I did the return for him, only because I really didn't want to deal with him or his ugly face anymore. I had to bite my tongue the rest of the time I was doing the transaction to keep from making snarky comments that were sure to get me fired. I never said another word to him after that. He did say thanks and have a good night. I didn't say anything but in my head I told him to have a good night as well and I hope he gets run over by a bus. 

Break time! Or so I thought...

Break time is probably my favorite time of day. Depending on my shift, I only get a 15 minute break and a half-hour lunch. And I don't even get paid for my lunch. So you can guess that the last thing I want to do at the store is help someone during my (non-paying) lunch. Its my one time of day to have to myself! To get away from the craziness of it all. 

Now I know you're probably thinking, big deal. Just take off your name tag, go back to the break room, and enjoy your meal. The only problem is, that between the front lanes and the break room are guests! They didn't connect the front office to the break room so you have to walk a short stretch of the store to get back there. And it always seems like on that path of toilet paper and tissues is where people always seem to have problems. 

Today, I was walking the dreaded toilet paper passageway to the break room for my lunch. I had already punched out so I was not getting paid, I had taken off my name tag, put on my different colored sweatshirt, had my bag on my shoulder, my lunch bag in the other hand, and I was talking on my cell phone. Now did this stop this one guest from harassing me? No. Of course not.

I had almost made it to the door! I was so close I could taste it. Only three more aisles left. And then I hear it...

"Ma'am!"

I was on my phone so I just ignored it. They couldn't be talking to me anyways, I was on my break. Another one of my co-workers must be around.

Two more aisles...

"EXCUSE ME! Ma'am!" The screeching, penetrating voice was too loud this time. I had no choice but to turn around and acknowledge this woman. I told my friend who I was talking to on the phone at the time to hang on a second.

"Yes?"

This woman was scary. I mean downright frightening. She was older, with wild gray-brown hair, glasses perched on the edge of her nose, and a crackly old voice. She chased me down the rest of the aisle and actually entered my personal space bubble.

"Where are the Halloween-themed Ziploc baggies?!" She demanded.

Whoa, lady take a chill pill. And then pop a Tic-Tac too while you're at it. I stepped back as politely as I could before answering. 

"They're probably back in the seasonal department," I answered. 

"And WHERE would that be?"

Okay, if you don't shop here well enough to know where all of our departments are, then you really don't have to right to be bossing around employees. Especially those who are on their breaks!

"Well the back corner of the store," I said through clenched teeth. My patience was really wearing thin at this point. 

And all I got after going through all this trouble? A nasty snarl. Thats right, no "thank you". No "thanks for your time" or "I appreciate your help". Or even a "sorry to keep you from your break". Nope, just a nasty look with an actual lip snarl. Thanks lady. I hope you suffocate on your Halloween-themed Ziploc baggies.