This actually happened on my day off. A day that I relished with great relief as I didn't have to be at W-Mart that day.
I had come out of the city library a few weeks ago, my arms full with 4 library books as I walked to the bus stop right outside the library and the bus was coming in 5 minutes, so I wouldn't have long to wait. There was a woman in her 50's at the bus stop, and she recognized me as a W-Mart employee.
SC: Hey, you work over at the W-Mart. I've seen you cleaning the parking lot yesterday!
Me: Oh, yes. Today's my day off, so that's good.
SC: --eyeing my books--So what major do you have in college?
Me: Oh, these are library books. I just checked them out just now.
SC: That is a LIBRARY? I thought it was a college!
Me: Yes, it looks a little bit like a college, but it isn't.
SC: Well, I thought that you were going to college and actually doing SOMETHING with your life instead of just working at the W-Mart.
I remember feeling my jaw stiffen and my blood begin to boil. Apparently, anyone in her mind who works RETAIL is nothing but some brain-dead loser who is doing NOTHING with their life. Isn't that the usual stereotype? Can't I just be a guy who is living from check to check and trying to pay their rent, their bills, and support themselves in a failed economy?
Me: For your information, ma'am, I am a college graduate with a degree in Business, but there are no jobs available for me to help pay off my loans but the W-Mart job, and I'm grateful to have it!
The SC looked stunned and then very guilty, knowing it was quite obvious that I put her in her place. She mumbled an apology and didn't say anything else to me as we boarded the bus. But it led me to wonder what kind of job that she has where she feels free to put negative stereotypes and assumptions on anyone who doesn't make quite as much money as her. I am lucky to have a job these days and haven't taken that for granted in these tough years, but apparently, there are jerks out there who still think that jobs still grow on trees and that EVERY college graduate is able to find the job that suits them in only a day.
I had come out of the city library a few weeks ago, my arms full with 4 library books as I walked to the bus stop right outside the library and the bus was coming in 5 minutes, so I wouldn't have long to wait. There was a woman in her 50's at the bus stop, and she recognized me as a W-Mart employee.
SC: Hey, you work over at the W-Mart. I've seen you cleaning the parking lot yesterday!
Me: Oh, yes. Today's my day off, so that's good.
SC: --eyeing my books--So what major do you have in college?
Me: Oh, these are library books. I just checked them out just now.
SC: That is a LIBRARY? I thought it was a college!
Me: Yes, it looks a little bit like a college, but it isn't.
SC: Well, I thought that you were going to college and actually doing SOMETHING with your life instead of just working at the W-Mart.
I remember feeling my jaw stiffen and my blood begin to boil. Apparently, anyone in her mind who works RETAIL is nothing but some brain-dead loser who is doing NOTHING with their life. Isn't that the usual stereotype? Can't I just be a guy who is living from check to check and trying to pay their rent, their bills, and support themselves in a failed economy?
Me: For your information, ma'am, I am a college graduate with a degree in Business, but there are no jobs available for me to help pay off my loans but the W-Mart job, and I'm grateful to have it!
The SC looked stunned and then very guilty, knowing it was quite obvious that I put her in her place. She mumbled an apology and didn't say anything else to me as we boarded the bus. But it led me to wonder what kind of job that she has where she feels free to put negative stereotypes and assumptions on anyone who doesn't make quite as much money as her. I am lucky to have a job these days and haven't taken that for granted in these tough years, but apparently, there are jerks out there who still think that jobs still grow on trees and that EVERY college graduate is able to find the job that suits them in only a day.
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