10.23.2011

Dumb things at work.

I work part-time at a small monogram shop in my hometown. I worked for them forever ago, right out of undergrad, and before I went to law school. (Side story there--couldn't find a job to SAVE MY LIFE once I graduated from college. Ended up at a monogram shop, workin' retail. Yep. I liked it WAY better though because the owners are amazing.) Anyway, the shop has since changed names and moved to a different location in town, one with much less vagrant homeless and more delicious nearby eateries. I wandered in one day a couple months ago to check out the new location, chatted with one of the owners, and she asked if I wanted to pick up some Saturdays. Always one needing money (and possibly seeing the bar exam writing on the wall, as it were), I said yes.

After years of working in that store, I have a few stories to tell, naturally.

A fun one happened via phone this past Saturday:

*ring ring* *ring ring*

Me: Thanks for calling The XYZ Monogram Shop.

Caller: Hi, ummmm, yeahhhhh, I have a question.

Me: (already annoyed) Okay.

Caller: Yeah, so ummmmmm I have something I need to get monogrammed.

*pause*

Me: Okay.

Caller: I need to know if I brought it in, when can I pick it up.

**Note: it is 3:40 pm at this point. We close at 4.

Me: Well, if you brought it in today, the pick-up would be for the 27th. Any earlier would be a $5 rush fee.

Caller: Oh reeeeally? I can't drop it off and get it back today?

Me: Um, no, sorry.

Caller: Really? I can't do that?

Me: Yeah, no. The owner who runs the machines was in today, but we're about to close and she isn't coming back in.

Caller: Oh. Okay. Well, do you know somewhere I can take it to get it done today?

Me: No.

Caller: What about tomorrow? Could you do it tomorrow?

Me: (about to throw the phone out onto the highway) No. We aren't open on Sundays.

Caller: Really? Oh.

*pause*

Caller: Do you know somewhere I can get it done on Sunday?

Me: No. Look, this town isn't that big. Most places that do stuff like this are small shops/boutiques and they are definitely NOT going to be open on Sundays.

Caller: Oh really? Ohhhhh wowwwww. Ok. Well, thanks.


I just hung up the phone at that point. I wish there was some way to properly convey the spacey sounding voice I heard on the phone. But alas, I cannot. I'm sure you can use your imagination. I swear if that caller is the future of our generation, we're in trouble.




Also, just because you work retail, you aren't stupid. Although most people would like to treat you that way. Boo.

2 comments:

Brittany said...

I loved working retail for some reason. haha But, I couldn't handle how everyone thought I was an idiot. I don't understand where that mindset comes from.

mary rose lenore eng (please) said...

don't worry too much about the bar exam bc you have so much to give to the world and the law industry is on major decline. blogging is the future. also your snark is now excerpted viciously in braingarbage, for which i apologize, and it seems you are invited to the Occupy Pearl literary magazine "Let Them Eat Cake" after a few cliff bars i dont feel as viciously anti-pearl either.
it was just the hunger
tell your friend she has a really cool blog and im publishing her work over at braingarbage to demo this experiment in occupying the internet.

also, i totally forgive you for calling me a cray-cray.