Looking like you belong

[Boggles]

I seem to be developing a knack for looking like a sort of generic employee no matter where I am.


The Game Store

Me: Boggles
SM: Store Manager
TJ: Till Jockey
MrA: Mr Angry

Recently I went to a big shopping mall to get my iPhone repaired. I left it in the Apple store and had an hour to kill. I wandered into a games store with some cash burning a hole in my pocket.

Me: Excuse me, i don't suppose you have any WiiFits left do you?
TJ: I'm not sure. The manager is the best one to ask. Thats her there.
Me: Good Morning, I know I'm probably out of luck but have you any WiiFits left?
SM: I think we have one in the back. Hang on, I'll go look.

I'm passing the time browsing the games when i become aware of a presence behind me.

MrA: Where's the Wii stuff?
Me: I'm sorry but I'm not sure. I don't actu....
MrA: Oh for f***'s sake. How f'in simple are you people..... (wanders off muttering)

SM: *hands me box* Here you are.
MrA: *appears and attempts to take box off me* I've been looking for that.
Me: I'm sorry but that one's mine.
MrA: That's right. Sell it to the f***ing staff not anyone important like A. F***ing. Customer. *Storms off*

Me and Manager:

On Holiday

So, 12 months ago i was in Toronto on holidays and was waiting for my mate to finish work in the Eton Centre. While i was waiting i was passing time in a book shop (can't remember the name but it was a big one with an escalator and coffee bar upstairs.) Gordon Ramsey was doing a book signing and I was upstairs browsing the Toronto City Guides. 4 separate people approached me. 1 asking where a section was. 1 wanting to know where to returna book and 2 to ask me if they bought the book before he signed it or after!
As i left i was searching to see if someone stuck a "STAFF" post-it on my back while i wasn;t looking!

And Finally.....

Not a sucky customer story but it amused me at the time.

On the same holiday. I've been for breakfast at "Over Easy" and have wandered back up to Younge-Dundas Square with a coffee and a paper to sit and await my relatives collecting me for stage 2 of the holiday.

BTA: Breathless TV Announcer (with Camera dude in tow)
Me: Boggles

BTA: Toronto City TV, Have you filed your taxes?
Me: Sorry?
BTA: Today's the last day for people to file their taxes without inccuring a fine so we're canvassing local people to see how many people filed on timer. So, did you?
Me: I don;t think I have to. You see, I'm only here on holiday for a couple of weeks.
BTA: *without missing a beat* Well you make sure you have a good holiday and don't forget to take in the views from the top of the CN Tower. *runs off*

[wagegoth]

That phenomenon has been discussed previously on the boards. I don't know if it's the SCHM (sucky customer hive mind) or if our pheromones actually change when we work retail.

[Imogene]

I don;t think I have to. You see, I'm only here on holiday for a couple of weeks.

Not sure if I posted this here, but I was at Friday's for a friend of a friend's birthday party last week, and we were joined toward the end by yet another friend, who ordered a beer, then looks at me after he gets carded. "Did you get carded?"
I blink, and turn to look at him. "No..."
"Why not?"
"I'm drinking a limeaid?"
"Well played."

[bloodrose]

BTA: *without missing a beat* Well you make sure you have a good holiday and don't forget to take in the views from the top of the CN Tower. *runs off*

Aw shucks, that sure is sweet and polite. I love Canada.

Not sure if I posted this here, but I was at Friday's for a friend of a friend's birthday party last week, and we were joined toward the end by yet another friend, who ordered a beer, then looks at me after he gets carded. "Did you get carded?"
I blink, and turn to look at him. "No..."
"Why not?"
"I'm drinking a limeaid?"
"Well played."

I had a cashier try to card me for root beer that came in a bottle. He asks for my ID and I say I'd be happy to show it to him but I don't know what he's carding me for. He looks at the stuff, acknowledges it is just root beer but wants to see my ID just in case.

[Melicious Motormouth]

I had a cashier try to card me for root beer that came in a bottle. He asks for my ID and I say I'd be happy to show it to him but I don't know what he's carding me for. He looks at the stuff, acknowledges it is just root beer but wants to see my ID just in case.

Sounds like a power trip.

[bainsidhe]

Or just confusion. I've carded people for non-alcoholic beer before. Rather, I ask for ID until they point out it's non-alcoholic. The non-brew looks the same to me (since I don't bother with more than a glance) and I prefer to ask for ID early so I can keep scanning while they dig for it. When I was young and new to retail, I probably would've asked to see the ID regardless, but simply because I didn't know better and because the ever-loving fear of the beer-Gods-that-shall-fine-me was more powerful than a mere customer. Ah how I miss my naivety.

[Becks]

I have been known to try to card people buying non-alcoholic beer and/or rootbeer.

It only happens when I'm beyond exhausted.

[Kogarashi]

Or just confusion. I've carded people for non-alcoholic beer before. Rather, I ask for ID until they point out it's non-alcoholic. The non-brew looks the same to me (since I don't bother with more than a glance) and I prefer to ask for ID early so I can keep scanning while they dig for it. When I was young and new to retail, I probably would've asked to see the ID regardless, but simply because I didn't know better and because the ever-loving fear of the beer-Gods-that-shall-fine-me was more powerful than a mere customer. Ah how I miss my naivety.

I seem to recall being required to card for non-alcoholic beer during my first stint as a cashier. However, since it was Walmart, I think it was because the registers were programmed to prompt for age anyway, and we cashiers were given the excuse that the non-alcoholic variety still has some small measure of alcohol in it, hence the need to ID.

[Geek King]

I have been known to try to card people buying non-alcoholic beer and/or rootbeer.

I got carded the last time I bought my Spretcher's. It was understandable, as the place I buy it is 95% alcohol stock, but we both had a good laugh about it. Nice folks there, for having to deal with some real alkies sometimes.

[Dreamstalker]

I have been known to try to card people buying non-alcoholic beer and/or rootbeer.

I once got carded at Blue Corn Cafe for a root beer. I complied b/c I didn't want to cause a scene, later the waiter came over and apologized to us--he was new and apparently the "restaurant" IBC bottles do look like regular beer bottles.

That turned into a joke for the rest of our trip...a non-drinker getting carded.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Sounds like a power trip.

Or just so desperately stupid he's unable to make a judgement call.

I had a pinhead card us for non alchoholic beer.

[Imogene]

At the craft store, we had to card for anyone buying spray paint, unless we could tell by looking at them that they were over... 30, I think... but no one told me I could bypass that screen until after I got my first 40 year old crafter buying spray paint, who got huffy that I asked to see her ID...

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I got my first 40 year old crafter buying spray paint, who got huffy that I asked to see her ID...

As long as she didn't get huffy AFTER she bought the paint.

[Bella_Vixen]

I have been known to try to card people buying non-alcoholic beer and/or rootbeer.

It only happens when I'm beyond exhausted.

I do that sometimes (it happened quite often at the 'Q), and then I'd say something like, "Yeah, we card for <insert random object that is being pruchased like hotdogs> now."

Try to look as innocent as possible when saying it.

[Javarod]

I had a cashier try to card me for root beer that came in a bottle. He asks for my ID and I say I'd be happy to show it to him but I don't know what he's carding me for. He looks at the stuff, acknowledges it is just root beer but wants to see my ID just in case.

I got pulled over for drinking root beer one time. Was sitting at a light, driving my mom somewhere, and i was tossing back a brown bottle of root beer... right by the state police barracks, and yup, cop sitting next to me at the light. Didn't get far before he pulled me over.