No really I *don't* work here!

[Teefies2]

I know we've all had those times when we're leaving work - purse, coat, etc - and customers continue to demand assistance. This was one better.

I work for the Wal of Greens, and as such, I wear the usual khaki pants and blue shirt. But because I am a shift lead, I also wear a grey vest with a small red "W" over my heart. Tonight I got off work at midnight.

My store was out of the wine I *desperately* needed after working until midnight ... I know you feel my pain So I treked over to the 24 hour Walmart, much as I hate to. Not that I have anything against Walmart per se - I used to work for them. But the after midnight crowd is "special". I pull into the parking lot and there is a trio of teenagers/young adults blocking the road while they push each other around in the shopping carts. Okay, I get it, it's Saturday night in a small town. But dang, I just wanna go in and get my stuff.

I enter WM and trek all the way to the back, where the wine is kept. My pedometer at this point says I have walked 13,988 steps - which is about 6 miles. In other words, I'm tired.

As I'm nearing the wine section, I unintentionally caught the eye of a man with his 2 or 3 year old in the cart. Who the hell takes a small child out at this time of night?? He asks me where *something* was, I don't remember. I replied that I don't work here. He insists that yes I do, I have the WM vest on. As you may or may not know, WM vests are blue, mine is grey. I repeat I don't work here and go on to explain that I work for the Green of Wall. I walk away, intent on getting my wine (even more so now!)
He FOLLOWS me through the aisles, getting louder and louder, that I HAVE to help him!!!!

I finally dodged him, but Sheesh! I'm not even in the same uniform dude!!!!!

[Kogarashi]

He insists that yes I do, I have the WM vest on. As you may or may not know, WM vests are blue, mine is grey.

Not only that, but last I checked, most Walmarts have replaced the vests with navy blue shirts.

[joe20girl]

They still wear vest at our walmart

[pitmonkey]

They went back to the vests.

[Kogarashi]

Interesting. The last few I've been in (two in GA, one in NY) were still using the shirts.

[Nunavut Pants]

Just tell him that it's at the other end of the store from where you are. Or that it's outside, around the back of the store, next to the big unsteady pile of pallets.

[Teefies2]

Just tell him that it's at the other end of the store from where you are. Or that it's outside, around the back of the store, next to the big unsteady pile of pallets.

I like this! If I hadn't been so tired, I might have come with something along these lines.

[wordgirl]

Or just give him directions to your store.

"Get out on U.S. 92, turn left. Drive about six miles, the Publix shopping center is on the right and it's in the corner of that lot. Go in the front door, and if we have any of *that thing* it should be on aisle 9, about half way down, next to the brand-name Preparation H."

[Pagan]

He insists that yes I do, I have the WM vest on. As you may or may not know, WM vests are blue, mine is grey. I repeat I don't work here and go on to explain that I work for the Green of Wall.

I had someone mistake me for a Wally World employee while I was wearing a blue tank top and cut-offs. Figure that one out.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I've had someone mistake me for an employee of the Co-Op when I was dressed in bike leathers and carrying a crash helmet. That person really should have gone to Specsavers...

[taxguykarl]

When my mega tax chain still had red polos, I had to remember to cover mine with a jacket whenever I had to go to Bullseye.

[MadMike]

I had someone mistake me for a Wally World employee while I was wearing a blue tank top and cut-offs. Figure that one out.

If a similar thing hadn't happened to me, I would never have believed it. I was wearing jeans and a Megadeth T-shirt, and someone tried to ask me for help. Interestingly, I did work there at one time -- it was one of my old retail jobs -- but I had been gone from there for well over a year at that point, so I doubt was someone who had simply recognized me from before. Besides, the whole "lack of a uniform" thing should have told him that even if I did work there, I wasn't working at that particular time.

[Food Lady]

Even if your uniform were exactly the same "I don't work here" should've sufficed. He basically called you a liar, and that ticks me off.

[Nashida]

Try walking into Yellow Price Tag with a bright purple UBash shirt, and getting asked for help.

[Lace Neil Singer]

My theory is that retail staff retain an aura of retailness which persists even on your days off. Customers can sense this, just as they can sense places being short staffed and rushing all there at once.