It's the school system

[Lulu]

I've found that the only people that comment on my lack of maths skills are the ones who do stupid things themselves...like attempting to get me to accept the competitions vouchers ("oh go on, please? you could go and buy the same book over there with the voucher and resell it!"), or demanding to know why we're out of stock of something ("but WHY is it out of print?!") thereby falling neatly into the line of "making fun of others to make themselves feel better about their own hopeless inadequacies". Nuff said.

[Lace Neil Singer]

...or people could realize that as people go thru schooling, and get into more complicated mathematics, simple adition or subtraction becomes a bit difficult, because it's just..too simple. It especially happens when you get through higher calculus.

Or, like me, you're better at English, Art and History than at Maths and Physics. I excelled in anything to do with reading and writing at school... and I've got the certificates to prove it. However, I can't do maths.

[pbmods]

If a customer ever makes a remark as to why I had to look at the display to check the change, I just smile and say, "It's store policy that I check the amount of change I'm giving you with what the register says to assure that I'm giving you the correct change, no matter the amount."

[Ezrockspants]

I hate that people just assume you lack intelligence because you work in retail...
It was uni holidays recently so I was working during the day (a lot!) and it took me a few days to get used to it. I remarked to a customer that it felt weird to be working during the day.
Her: *confused look* 'Why, what do you normally do during the day?' (as if I could do nothing else but work at a supermarket.)
Me: 'I go to uni, but I'm on holidays at the moment.'
Her: 'Oh. What are you studying?' *looks smugly at me, expecting me to say I was studying something lame.*
Me: *just as smugly* 'Biotechnology'. (its true!)
Her: *face falls* 'Oh. *pause* 'Whats that?'

I explained it in laymans terms, and she didn't understand any of it except for 'lab work'.

[blas]

I got called stupid plenty of times at the gas station by SCs who'd at the last minute change their mind and go "Oh, I have the 46 cents!" or not make up their mind on cigg brands whatever. It was so funny, the pot calling the kettle black!........The Jerry Springer guests vs Blas87......I wonder who is smarter!!

If I could have said the following, I would have:

"I'm stupid? At least I can read!"

"I'm stupid?....Ok......Because that last sentence you said was so intelligent and gramatically correct.....what did you say again......."Them beers in there is warm". Why are you staring at me like that? Oh.....you don't understand gramatically correct? Aww...want me to teach you? Well, it's really easy.....you just use proper words and put them in the proper places...............that doesn't make sense? Ok.....you talk like an adult, a real human being, not an uneducated hillbilly. Yes, I meant to offend you. What you should have said? THE BEER IN THERE IS WARM, or THOSE BEERS ARE WARM. Still don't get it? Oh no....I lost ya, didn't I............"

"I'm stupid? Ok genius......if you're buying an 18 pack of beer, and you intend to split half of it with your wife (your sister), but your son ends up sneaking one, and then your cousin Billy Bob takes three of yours, and then Martha Sue from across the street breaks into your kitchen and takes four of your wife's beers, then take in to account that by that time, you and your wife will have each had two beers a piece.......how many beers do each of you have left? I knew I'd leave you scratching your dumb head!"

[LostMyMind]

That depends Blas87, is that 18 six-pack of beer or 18 twelve-pack? Or did you mean an eighteen cans of beer in a pack, not being a beer drinker, are there 18 cans packs?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

When I was working at Kinko's this last time, I got my current job. And during the last week I was there, one of my favorite customers came in.

No, really, he really was a favorite. He was a very nice guy from the Firefighter's Assoc. who was a lot of fun to talk to. But even he made a dumb assumption when I told him I was leaving.

Me: Well, I probably won't be seeing you here again, Mr. Firefighter Assoc. Guy. I got a new job at Blah Blah Big Company and this is my last week.

FFG: Oh, wow, that's great! I know you're probably glad to be getting out of here, eh? What are you gonna be doing, answering phones or something?

Me: NO. Graphic Artist position, thank you.

FFG: Oh! Wow. Cool!

Me: (writing down his order and muttering in mock annoyance) "Answering Phones."

Lady in line behind FFG: HA!

No offense to any phone answerers out there...I simply wanted to illustrate to him that assuming anyone has no other skills just because they work in retail or at a place like Kinko's is short sighted. Kinkoids, for instance, know more about computers, graphic art, file prep, etc, than the average customer. So assuming they are skill-free drones is just plain dumb.

I wish I had a nickle for ever time I've had this conversation, very often with someone who treated me like I was stupid.

Me: Okay, what operating platform will this file be in?

SC: Uh....

Me: Mac or PC?

SC: Uhh.....Windows?

SC: Okay. That's PC. Do you know what program it's in?

SC: Ummm.....Microsoft, I think?

Good think we Kinkoids are stupid enough to figure this stuff out!

[Comp_geek]

I wonder how many people think that when they come in my store. I'm going to be taking my last math course this year *tear* and I think I will be missing it. But to be honest, some of the stuff I've seen in these math courses...I'ld be surprised if 1/4 of the people out there would know what to do with them.

[RaptorGirl]

Hi folks... long time lurker here!

I used to work as a cashier at a fast-food restaurant while I was going to college (note- for the purpose of this story, it's also worthwhile to know that I was getting an A in my college math course at the time).

One time, a woman came in, made an order, and as I was in the middle of giving her back her change, she decided she wanted a bottle of juice from the cooler. She then told me to just take the amount she owed for the juice out of the change I was giving her.
I told her that I was sorry, I would have to ring it in
(not saying what was in my head... #1- have you ever heard of freakin' inventory? Of course I need to ring it in! and #2, sorry, I don't have the exact price of every item plus tax stored in my brain, so I'm not sure at this very second how much to take out of your $13.67 in change)

She then had the nerve to mutter to her friends about my lack of math skills.

[KayEm]

Whenever a customer implies by word or action that they consider me stupid, I do one of two things. If I'm in a bad mood already or it's been a really long day and I've had enough, I'll simply walk off. This conversation is over.

But If I'm feeling the devil perched on my shoulder, I'll play head games on them. I'll start using a lot of big words that aren't used in casual conversation, words that haven't been used in centuries lol...I just love the blank stares I get when I do that.

People acting like I'm stupid just because I work in retail have to be THE biggest pet peeve. I always want to say "Excuse me, I've read probably THOUSANDS of books in my lifetime so far and will probably get in another THOUSAND or so before I'm through. How many books have YOU read, you ignorant fuck ???"

[RecoveringKinkoid]

She then had the nerve to mutter to her friends about my lack of math skills.[/QUOTE]

I am lousy at math. I suck. Seriously. And I make no apologies for it, either. I was always in special reading programs for gifted and advanced students. And with math, I was in the "special" classes, too, only we are talking a different kind of special. Different people's brains work differently. Some are good at math, and some are good at other things.

So if I'm running a register, and someone doesn't like how I make change, they can kiss my ass.

I've had people try and embarass me at the register before, too, and I have just said, "Oh, you're right, I am terrible at math! Help me out, here, WHAT do I owe you?" Odds are good they won't know, either, at least not immediately. They arent' thinking what their change should be, they are concentrating on looking for an opportunity to embarass you. They'll be caught off guard, just as they are trying to do to you.

Dont' follow their script. Make them follow yours.

[Tria]

"I'm stupid? Ok genius......if you're buying an 18 pack of beer, and you intend to split half of it with your wife (your sister), but your son ends up sneaking one, and then your cousin Billy Bob takes three of yours, and then Martha Sue from across the street breaks into your kitchen and takes four of your wife's beers, then take in to account that by that time, you and your wife will have each had two beers a piece.......how many beers do each of you have left? I knew I'd leave you scratching your dumb head!"

Guy: 3
Woman: 3
Am I right?

[dragonflygrrl]

I've had people try and embarass me at the register before, too, and I have just said, "Oh, you're right, I am terrible at math! Help me out, here, WHAT do I owe you?" Odds are good they won't know, either, at least not immediately. They arent' thinking what their change should be, they are concentrating on looking for an opportunity to embarass you. They'll be caught off guard, just as they are trying to do to you.

Dont' follow their script. Make them follow yours.

Now that is a good idea! I will remember that! I am actually quite good at real math, as in algebra, geometry, and calculus, but I admit that my basic arithmatic leaves something to be desired. It irritates me no end when some smug son of a...not very nice person snickers about my math ability when I can't recalculate their change instantly after they hand me some pennies and a dime. Next time I'll just humbly ask for their help- I don't know why that never ocurred to me before!

[Yossarian]

Guy: 3
Woman: 3
Am I right?

Actually, I believe it would be:

Guy: 3.5
Woman: 2.5

since the question's wording implies that the rugrat stole the beer before the beers had been assigned, thereby leaving 17 beers to split between them (8.5 beers a piece). Then you subtract 3 for the Guy for Billy Bob's drinks, and two that Guy drank (8.5-3-2=3.5) Since a total of 1+3+4+2+2 beers are now gone, leaving six in the pack, 6-3.5=2.5 for the Woman.

[blas]

Know what, I forgot to even say whose beer the son took!

Well, thanks for being interested in my little math equation guys I was just so much on a roll, typing so fast the keys were smoking...........I forgot that part, lol. But hey, you guys tried and the customers wouldn't get past "18 pack" lol.