Thursday, March 20, 2008

Hey Bloggers! Long time no blog! LOL I can't believe my last post was over a month ago! Where does the time go? I'm pondering what I should blog about...There are a few options, but the one that affected me the deepest may not be suitable. Oh well, I'll throw it out there...

About three years ago, I got a part time job at the beauty supply store that I shop at. After working only five shifts, I knew I would be miserable if I continued. The manager was probably the most unhappy person I have ever encountered, and she took it out on everyone around her. The employees, the customers, even her little 6 year old son. She was rude, impatient, and disrespectful. One day, I was working the till, and I had a computer question for her. She was in the back room, and I couldn't leave a lineup of people standing there with the till unattended, so I did what I saw everyone else do countless times. I sort of yelled to the back for her to come and help me. I had been employed by them about two weeks, but I had only worked five shifts and the computer program they were using was way more complicated than it had to be. So anyway, the manager...who we'll call Michelle...cuz that's her name, came to the front and began to reprimand me for interrupting her phone call. Well, I guess I embarrassed her by asking her in front of the customers what I should do in the future in this same situation. Well she spat out that I should just figure it out, or wait till she was finished on the phone. Well, I had said, "so I should leave the customers waiting while you finish your call?"

Well that was a big mistake. Later that day, she called me into the back room and ripped me a new one until I was welling up with tears. That's when I knew that I couldn't be happy working there. She was just so mean.

The beauty is, I already had my job as a hairdresser, so I didn't need this one. So I called her on the phone the next day and when she answered I said, "I won't be coming back to work for you because I think you need psychiatric help." I know, I'm cheeky, but she was a mean person.

After this happened, I started shopping at another branch of the same store. Unfortunately, her store closed down the following year, and she was transferred to the one I had started shopping at. Not as the manager, though. Just a lowly worker like I was. So for the last two years, every time I go in there, she is cold, rude, and unprofessional. I mean, I know what I said was cheeky, but quite some time had passed, so get over it. You know what I mean? So last week I went in, smiled at her (trying to keep things friendly) and even said hello. I'm thinking surely to God she isn't still mad after three years! She does not smile back and certainly no hello. She rings my order through, and shoves the bag in my direction and turns away. Well I'm just sick of this. I've been shopping there for 12 years. So this is the dialog:

Me: Well thank you for that great customer service and warmth. And then I walk away toward the exit. Then I hear her say

Michelle: Oh, you're just the same F**king b**ch you've always been!

Me in complete shock: I beg your pardon?

Michelle: I don't have to listen to this (and turns away)

Me: I AM a customer here, you know!

Michelle: I don't give a s**t WHO you are!

Note: there are other customers and employees in the store, and she's yelling across the store to me! I was so floored and caught off guard, I started to shake and sweat!

Me: It's been...(this is where she interrupts me to say...)

Michelle: Take that (gives me the finger) b**ch!

By this time, I'm so upset, I can't even think straight. I just wanted to blurt out the first thing that I could come up with. I wish it was more cleaver...I wish it had some wit...I wish it was more intelligent...I wish it was something that I could be proud of, but my emotions took me over and what flew out of my mouth was...

Me: TAKE THAT! (fingered her) YOU F**CKING WHORE!!!

and I stormed out of the store! I was so angry at her for saying the things she did, for interrupting me when I wanted to use intelligent argument, for inspiring such a crass response on my part, but I was possessed by my urge to hurt her.

On the drive home, my emotions were so mixed. A big part of me was so upset, I was still shaking and felt like bursting into tears! A small part of me wanted to laugh at how unbelievable what I had just experienced was. I did phone the manager the next day and told her after 12 years of shopping there, I would never set foot in that place again as long as she was there. She was shocked at what had happened (she was not there at the time) and told me Michelle was leaving that coming Wednesday. It's no wonder she felt so comfy blowing her top on me like that.

Anyway, that is what happened, and although I know I played a part in the situation, I don't care WHAT a customer says...there's no excuse for that kind of conduct. As far as I'm concerned it would be grounds for immediate dismissal. Never mind waiting til her last day. To be honest, I'm just glad I never have to see her face again. Frankly, I'm not a violent person, but that day, I wanted to punch her teeth down her throat.

Oh, and to top it off my car overheated on the way home...sigh.