Educating the Customers

Another day, another douchebag.

I can't stand when customers pick on my co-workers.

The other day this regular customer walks in. I don't like him just because there's something about him that pisses me off.

So he comes in the store with another man that I've never seen before. The mystery man is talking to my co-worker and asking her questions:

Mystery Man: Did you graduate high school? (Like it's any of his business)

Co-worker: No.

So the regular customer pipes up: See, she's what you call a drop-out. You're a high school drop-out. You won't get any better job than this one.

Sadly, I wasn't there when this happened. If I was, I probably would have told him to go fuck himself with his high school diploma.

Unfortunately, we get this all the time. Customers always think it's their business to find out how far we've gotten with our education. And when I tell them I have a Bachelor's Degree, they ask "why the hell do you work here then?" or "What, you couldn't get a better job than this one?"

My answer? "None of your business."

And this is why when you get home those Twinkies you bought are smashed.

Applying to Cashier School

A lot of people talk about how cashiers should learn this or that at something called "cashier school". If I happen to make a mistake while ringing up a customer, they will think they are being funny by asking me why I wasn't taught that in cashier school.

Who the fuck would go to a cashier school?

Yes, I know they are only joking. I know there is no such thing as cashier school. But still. It's pretty rude. For one, we know we have shitty jobs, so you don't need to rub it in our faces by joking about a cashier school. I know how to count. I made something called a MISTAKE.

Two, most of the time we are just thrown into our jobs on the first day, having to fend for ourselves. We have to deal daily with people degrading us, picking on us, yelling at us to make themselves feel better, and even cleaning up after people. Trust me, no cashier gets paid enough to clean up the shit (literally!) that people leave behind.

Third, nobody can be taught everything there is to know in order to make every customer happy. That, and we just don't care enough.

Do you think we really want to hear your stupid jokes about attending a cashier school because we don't do something the correct way according to you? Every time you say that, you're calling us stupid. You're just too much of a pussy to say what you really mean.

How about this: If we aren't being openly rude to you, just let us do our jobs and shut the fuck up.

People I Went to School With

I remember one time a kid I went to school with came into the store. Well, he was a dork in school and here he was walking in all high and mighty in his business suit. I could tell he recognized me, but saw that I was working at a gas station and didn't want to associate with me.

At this time, we had our snuff products sort of behind the counter, which meant that people weren't really allowed to go back there. Well this big popular guy decides to reach his long arms and body back behind the register in order to grab his snuff. So naturally, I say something to him because no one is allowed to go back there, but him being Mr. Cool now didn't say one word to me. I had to ring him up with him ignoring me the whole time even though I know he recognized me. What an asshole.

I hate when I see people I went to high school with. I have my reasons for working at a gas station, and it's no one's business but my own. But when I see people I used to know, that don't know I'm working there, I can see them try to recognize me and at first they can't. But then I see the recognition in their eyes and it's clear that they know they went to school with me, while they're wearing their business suits or nurses scrubs. And here I am, in my crappy clothes and working at my crappy job, right?.

I've given up on asking them if we went to high school together, because usually they hardly respond, as if I'm some low lifeform that isn't worth the time to have a conversation with. Or they think that if they talk to me, they might catch the gas station bug and become a loser like me.

Here's a piece of advice if you want to be considered a nice person. Never be embarrassed to talk to someone you used to know, no matter what they are doing with their lives now. Unless they are chopping up a dead body or selling themselves for money. But really, that person that you now think is a loser is probably just as embarrassed to see you at their crappy job, so don't make it any harder on them.

As for me, I still get angry when this happens to me. I don't care that I'm working at a gas station, I get upset at the responses I get to it. Just leave me alone, people. And get out of my face.