So here I am, working the graveyard shift and it's been pretty busy for a Monday night, which can only mean that I will get all the freaks and weirdos in throughout the night.
9pm: Just as I figured. My first customer irritated me by taking forever to hand me her money. This created a long line of customers behind her who then gave me dirty looks because they had to wait so long.
10pm: The parade of weirdos continues. Some guy came in buying beer. As he was walking up to the register, I thought it had snot hanging out of his nose, but it was just a green nose ring. I have also noticed a lot of people lingering around in the parking lot.
11pm: Still more of the same. Once I shut beer down for the night, it usually gets pretty quiet.
12am: If you walk around in my store with your hands in your pockets while staring at me to see if I'm going to watch you steal, then yes, I am watching you while you attempt to steal.
Ahh, the joys of working night shift. Please go to bed, people. You don't need to buy cigarillos or Black & Milds at midnight. Get a job and be in bed like most people.
12:47am - Yay, almost time to shut beer down! Finally, some peace around here.
2am: Just had a customer stand here and talk to me for an hour. That's the only bad part about night shift. People think you have nothing to do but sit and bullshit with them. Although, I don't really have anything to do but blog I guess.
I haven't had a customer walk in for about an hour. Maybe the freaks aren't going to be out all night. Or maybe I just jinxed myself....
2:14am - Reading the newspaper. Nothing interesting. I'm bored.
2:31am - Still bored. Maybe I should go do some work? Still debating it.
3:10am - Geez, people sure do scramble in here when the fresh doughnuts come in!
4:08am - Okay, someone just walked in and tripped onto the floor. Then they got up and left the store. That reminds me of the time I was at the movies and a kid was walking down the steps to go get snacks and tripped on the ground where everyone saw him fall. He never came back to watch the rest of the movie. Probably the most embarrassing $9.00 he ever spent.
4:55am - The night is over, thank God! Until next time.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Sunday Morning Crazies
Sunday mornings I always get a lot of weirdos in. I think they are the crazies left over from Saturday night festivities.
This morning, I came in to work at 6am and was told there had been a car parked out at the pump for about two hours. The person had come into the store and wanted to take a gas can because they claim they broke down up the road.
First, I have no idea how this person just found another car to drive to our store, because they were the only one in the car that had been sitting there for a few hours.
Second, whenever I hear a car has been there all night with someone inside, I usually call the police to get it out of there or to tell the person to leave.
Customers were coming in this morning telling me that someone was sleeping in that car. When they are sleeping, it usually means they are drunk.
So just as I was about to call the police, the car door opens and a woman steps out. She comes inside, and starts playing lottery. Then she starts telling me how men are all slobs and that she 'ain't gonna be picking up after none of 'em'. I could care less and was actually praying for another customer to come in to save me from this babbler. I almost hugged the next customer that walked through that door.
But it didn't matter. This woman just went on to look at our greeting cards for another half hour. GO HOME LADY. PLEASE.
I think she was drunk with the way she kept going on; and she probably noticed that every customer was peering into her car to see what she was doing in there.
Here's a tip from your friendly cashier: If you pull into my gas station to sleep off your drunkenness, then I will probably call the cops on you. You can then sleep it off in a jail cell.
This morning, I came in to work at 6am and was told there had been a car parked out at the pump for about two hours. The person had come into the store and wanted to take a gas can because they claim they broke down up the road.
First, I have no idea how this person just found another car to drive to our store, because they were the only one in the car that had been sitting there for a few hours.
Second, whenever I hear a car has been there all night with someone inside, I usually call the police to get it out of there or to tell the person to leave.
Customers were coming in this morning telling me that someone was sleeping in that car. When they are sleeping, it usually means they are drunk.
So just as I was about to call the police, the car door opens and a woman steps out. She comes inside, and starts playing lottery. Then she starts telling me how men are all slobs and that she 'ain't gonna be picking up after none of 'em'. I could care less and was actually praying for another customer to come in to save me from this babbler. I almost hugged the next customer that walked through that door.
But it didn't matter. This woman just went on to look at our greeting cards for another half hour. GO HOME LADY. PLEASE.
I think she was drunk with the way she kept going on; and she probably noticed that every customer was peering into her car to see what she was doing in there.
Here's a tip from your friendly cashier: If you pull into my gas station to sleep off your drunkenness, then I will probably call the cops on you. You can then sleep it off in a jail cell.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Wet Crusty Money
I always get scared when people hand me wet money. Especially if it's not raining or snowing. Wet money could be one of three things:
1. A mysterious substance
2. Sweat
3. A mysterious substance
Mysterious substances can be many things. I often wonder what people do with their money in order to make it crusty or soaking wet. I don't even want to think about what the crust is in a handful of change.
Usually when I'm handed a bunch of dirty crusty money, I will refuse to take it. I know this probably sounds mean and money is money, but come on. I don't know what you did to get that money looking like that, and it's not fair to me that I have to clean it.
We've also gotten many bills with what has looked like blood on them. I've even seen fresh blood on the bills that were handed to me.
Please don't torture us like that. Be aware of your money and what it looks like. Don't hand me cruddy change and look up at me going 'Oops, well at least it's money'.
It may be money, but I don't have to take it or touch it.
Would you ever hand dirty money to your friendly cashier? Or, like me, would you keep it and clean it later because you are too embarrassed to give it out to anyone?
1. A mysterious substance
2. Sweat
3. A mysterious substance
Mysterious substances can be many things. I often wonder what people do with their money in order to make it crusty or soaking wet. I don't even want to think about what the crust is in a handful of change.
Usually when I'm handed a bunch of dirty crusty money, I will refuse to take it. I know this probably sounds mean and money is money, but come on. I don't know what you did to get that money looking like that, and it's not fair to me that I have to clean it.
We've also gotten many bills with what has looked like blood on them. I've even seen fresh blood on the bills that were handed to me.
Please don't torture us like that. Be aware of your money and what it looks like. Don't hand me cruddy change and look up at me going 'Oops, well at least it's money'.
It may be money, but I don't have to take it or touch it.
Would you ever hand dirty money to your friendly cashier? Or, like me, would you keep it and clean it later because you are too embarrassed to give it out to anyone?
Friday, March 5, 2010
More Western Union Scams
We had this woman come in the other day who wanted to send money through Western Union. Once again, it was being sent to Nigeria.
I felt bad for this woman, she was older and used a walker. She wanted to send $400 to someone in Nigeria that said she had won the lottery. She even showed us the email she had printed out. Classic scam.
So we advised her not to send the money and that we thought it was a scam. She listened to our reasoning and finally agreed with us. She said she's been scammed twice before, and that last time they had emptied out her bank account.
How does this poor woman not realize they are scamming her???
So hopefully by us talking to her, she woke up and realized what was happening.
These Nigerian scammers don't care who they take money from.
One of our regular customers came in not too long ago. She's deaf, but she wanted to let us know she wanted to send money to someone through Western Union. Upon looking at the paperwork she filled out, we saw that it was Destination: Nigeria. She was apparently going to send $200 to some Deaf Foundation and get triple her money in return.
We ended up trying to tell her it was a scam, and that we refused to send the money. She got very angry and showed us text messages that the Nigerian person had been sending to her. Texts like 'Did you send the money yet?' 'Are you at the store?' and things like that. The reason the person was texting and wanting to know exactly when the money was sent, was so that they could hurry up and claim it.
Once the money is picked up, you can't cancel the transaction and get your money back. It's gone. Forever.
So finally this woman left but she was very angry that we didn't send her money. I just hope she didn't go down the street and send it from someone else.
Like I said, these Nigerian scammers will abuse anyone. They have no sympathy.
I felt bad for this woman, she was older and used a walker. She wanted to send $400 to someone in Nigeria that said she had won the lottery. She even showed us the email she had printed out. Classic scam.
So we advised her not to send the money and that we thought it was a scam. She listened to our reasoning and finally agreed with us. She said she's been scammed twice before, and that last time they had emptied out her bank account.
How does this poor woman not realize they are scamming her???
So hopefully by us talking to her, she woke up and realized what was happening.
These Nigerian scammers don't care who they take money from.
One of our regular customers came in not too long ago. She's deaf, but she wanted to let us know she wanted to send money to someone through Western Union. Upon looking at the paperwork she filled out, we saw that it was Destination: Nigeria. She was apparently going to send $200 to some Deaf Foundation and get triple her money in return.
We ended up trying to tell her it was a scam, and that we refused to send the money. She got very angry and showed us text messages that the Nigerian person had been sending to her. Texts like 'Did you send the money yet?' 'Are you at the store?' and things like that. The reason the person was texting and wanting to know exactly when the money was sent, was so that they could hurry up and claim it.
Once the money is picked up, you can't cancel the transaction and get your money back. It's gone. Forever.
So finally this woman left but she was very angry that we didn't send her money. I just hope she didn't go down the street and send it from someone else.
Like I said, these Nigerian scammers will abuse anyone. They have no sympathy.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Western Union Scams
I can't believe that there are people that still fall for these Western Union scams. How does it make any sense to send someone $200 and you will receive a $500,000 check?
We do Western Union money transfers at our store, and recently we've gotten people in who had no idea they were being scammed. But we did.
About a year ago this regular customer came in wanting to send money to Nigeria. That's warning number 1 right there; sending money to Nigeria. I think he was going to send something like $50.
I asked him if he knew the person and he's like 'Oh yeah, it's this girl I know.' Warning number 2: Most of the time it's a girl pleading to guys that they need money, when in actuality it's some big, fat, bald guy with a really high voice.
So on further investigation with this customer he told me that he's sending money to this girl he's been talking to online. She lives in Nigeria and needs money to get to the airport so that she could go see him. How $50 will get her from Nigeria to the U.S., I have no clue.
So I told him that there were scams going around and that he shouldn't send this money. He assured me that he knew the woman, and insisted that I send his money, so I did.
I didn't see him for awhile, but I did notice throughout the next few months that he had sent more money to this girl in Nigeria. Always in amounts of $50.
About a year later I finally saw him again. I asked him if that Nigeria girl ever visited him and he's like 'Nah, that thing was a scam.' And blew it off like it was no big deal. I wanted to tell him 'I told you so', but I didn't want to make it worse. He ended up saying that she (who was probably a big massive Nigerian guy), kept asking him to send money, which he did, and she never came to visit him once.
All I want to say is that you should always listen to your friendly cashier. I watch enough Judge Judy to know that people are still getting scammed by these Nigerian people, lottery scams and various other 'foundations'. If we tell you that we think what you are involved in is a scam, then please listen. We do actually know what we are talking about.
Has anyone out there been scammed by anything like this? Or do you know anyone that fell for a scam?
We do Western Union money transfers at our store, and recently we've gotten people in who had no idea they were being scammed. But we did.
About a year ago this regular customer came in wanting to send money to Nigeria. That's warning number 1 right there; sending money to Nigeria. I think he was going to send something like $50.
I asked him if he knew the person and he's like 'Oh yeah, it's this girl I know.' Warning number 2: Most of the time it's a girl pleading to guys that they need money, when in actuality it's some big, fat, bald guy with a really high voice.
So on further investigation with this customer he told me that he's sending money to this girl he's been talking to online. She lives in Nigeria and needs money to get to the airport so that she could go see him. How $50 will get her from Nigeria to the U.S., I have no clue.
So I told him that there were scams going around and that he shouldn't send this money. He assured me that he knew the woman, and insisted that I send his money, so I did.
I didn't see him for awhile, but I did notice throughout the next few months that he had sent more money to this girl in Nigeria. Always in amounts of $50.
About a year later I finally saw him again. I asked him if that Nigeria girl ever visited him and he's like 'Nah, that thing was a scam.' And blew it off like it was no big deal. I wanted to tell him 'I told you so', but I didn't want to make it worse. He ended up saying that she (who was probably a big massive Nigerian guy), kept asking him to send money, which he did, and she never came to visit him once.
All I want to say is that you should always listen to your friendly cashier. I watch enough Judge Judy to know that people are still getting scammed by these Nigerian people, lottery scams and various other 'foundations'. If we tell you that we think what you are involved in is a scam, then please listen. We do actually know what we are talking about.
Has anyone out there been scammed by anything like this? Or do you know anyone that fell for a scam?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Going for a Drive
I would just like to say, that if you run into anything on our property with your car, then yes, it is your fault.
Awhile ago we had this guy come barreling into our parking lot and ended up running into a big wooden crate that we keep firewood in. He claimed that his brakes stopped working while he was on the road, so he decides to stop into a gas station in the hopes that he could find something to stop his car. Gee, I guess I'm glad he didn't choose a gas pump to do that with.
Anyways, he ends up running into this huge crate, and then puts up a fight telling us that he won't pay for anything because there wasn't any damage.
So he goes to straighten the crate out that he hit, and once he touches it the thing falls apart.
My point, though, is that this happens a lot. People will run into something in our lot and then blame everyone but themselves. Many of our outdoor trash cans and planters are beat to shit because people don't know how to back their cars up properly.
We always have tons of accidents in our lot, because once again, people don't know how to back their cars up properly. And they decide to drive these huge boats where they can hardly see over the steering wheel. Cars hitting other cars in our parking lot has become such a regular thing now, that I don't even look up when I hear things like "Excuse me, who owns that White Ford out there?"
So if you ever notice planters and trash cans all beat up and looking crappy and unsightly at a gas station, just remember that we never replace them because they will always continue to get hit by people in their cars.
Oh, and make sure to watch your car in the parking lot when you go inside. I've seen plenty of people hit another customer's car and then just drive off without saying anything.
Awhile ago we had this guy come barreling into our parking lot and ended up running into a big wooden crate that we keep firewood in. He claimed that his brakes stopped working while he was on the road, so he decides to stop into a gas station in the hopes that he could find something to stop his car. Gee, I guess I'm glad he didn't choose a gas pump to do that with.
Anyways, he ends up running into this huge crate, and then puts up a fight telling us that he won't pay for anything because there wasn't any damage.
So he goes to straighten the crate out that he hit, and once he touches it the thing falls apart.
My point, though, is that this happens a lot. People will run into something in our lot and then blame everyone but themselves. Many of our outdoor trash cans and planters are beat to shit because people don't know how to back their cars up properly.
We always have tons of accidents in our lot, because once again, people don't know how to back their cars up properly. And they decide to drive these huge boats where they can hardly see over the steering wheel. Cars hitting other cars in our parking lot has become such a regular thing now, that I don't even look up when I hear things like "Excuse me, who owns that White Ford out there?"
So if you ever notice planters and trash cans all beat up and looking crappy and unsightly at a gas station, just remember that we never replace them because they will always continue to get hit by people in their cars.
Oh, and make sure to watch your car in the parking lot when you go inside. I've seen plenty of people hit another customer's car and then just drive off without saying anything.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Doing Drugs
We get our share of drugs in the store. There have been many times I've found little baggies of weed on the floor, or near the pumps, or even in the bathrooms.
A lot of our customers come in smelling like pot, probably because they just got done smoking it in the car before they came in.
Saturday night, however, was a first.
We have one of those lottery machines by the front door, where you can insert money and play tickets from it.
Well, there were three young guys, probably in their early 20s, that had been there for awhile playing those instant lottery tickets.
After about a half hour, my co-worker started noticing that they kept staring up at the register. So, he decided to keep an eye on them from the cameras.
They would put their money into the lottery machine, get their tickets, and scratch them while talking to each other. They looked like they were drunk or something.
After awhile they ended up leaving, but we were curious as to what they had been doing over there and why they had kept watching us.
So we look on the camera and rewind it back to when they were in. After catching them staring at us, we noticed what they were actually doing.
While playing tickets, one of the 3 guys had gone around the corner to where our bait cooler is, which is on the floor.
We then see him take something out of his pocket, put it on top of the cooler, and start making 'chopping' movements. While he was doing this, he kept watching us at the front counter, while trying to hide what he was doing.
What was he doing? He was cutting up his cocaine so he could snort it.
Because then we see him bend down and do it. All on camera.
It makes me mad to see this because people should keep their drug habits at home, not out in public. Also, what would you say to this person? He may be so high on drugs that he pulls out a gun and shoots one of us for confronting him.
So we just have to take it and hope it doesn't become a bigger problem.
A lot of our customers come in smelling like pot, probably because they just got done smoking it in the car before they came in.
Saturday night, however, was a first.
We have one of those lottery machines by the front door, where you can insert money and play tickets from it.
Well, there were three young guys, probably in their early 20s, that had been there for awhile playing those instant lottery tickets.
After about a half hour, my co-worker started noticing that they kept staring up at the register. So, he decided to keep an eye on them from the cameras.
They would put their money into the lottery machine, get their tickets, and scratch them while talking to each other. They looked like they were drunk or something.
After awhile they ended up leaving, but we were curious as to what they had been doing over there and why they had kept watching us.
So we look on the camera and rewind it back to when they were in. After catching them staring at us, we noticed what they were actually doing.
While playing tickets, one of the 3 guys had gone around the corner to where our bait cooler is, which is on the floor.
We then see him take something out of his pocket, put it on top of the cooler, and start making 'chopping' movements. While he was doing this, he kept watching us at the front counter, while trying to hide what he was doing.
What was he doing? He was cutting up his cocaine so he could snort it.
Because then we see him bend down and do it. All on camera.
It makes me mad to see this because people should keep their drug habits at home, not out in public. Also, what would you say to this person? He may be so high on drugs that he pulls out a gun and shoots one of us for confronting him.
So we just have to take it and hope it doesn't become a bigger problem.
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