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As a cart gatherer in the only store that's more popular than the bars on Friday, you tend to get angry at everything. The customers are no different. I'm no longer working there, but as it's only been a week, the stories are still fresh.
Before my time:
Just a few days before I started my job one of my ex-coworkers had a run-in with a particularly... crotchety old woman.
They were pushing by hand as the cart machine had died (Presumably ten minutes after being taken off the charger
) and the guy leading (Can't remember his name) noticed a car coming as they were coming off the row so he hollered at Cameron to stop pushing so they wouldn't have an accident. Cameron stopped and the lady in the car slowed down as well. They waited, and she came to a stop in front of them.
Her: Customers always go first!
Him: I know, that's why I stopped.
Her: It didn't look that way to me.
Him: Whatever.
The situation further degrades from there. She slams on the accelerator and he yells after her something obscene. When she goes in to tell management, they didn't believe her. So score for him. It was his last day there, so I see it as a two-for-one.
Why, yes, I'll potentially risk permanent injury to myself
After having worked 7 out of 9 hours by myself, both sides of the store cart bays were looking particularly bare. It was the first of the month, what else could be expected when working by oneself. So after my relief got there I went inside to try to take my break when I was confronted by my arch-nemesis and the boss.
Him: It's looking pretty rough out there.
Me: Been by myself out there all day.
Him: You were doing good earlier. What happened? *Talks to me like I'm 'special'* Were there a lot of carry-outs today?
Me: As a matter of fact there were. *walks away without getting break*
Now, as I let my temper get the better of me, I start pushing carts faster so as not to give him an excuse to further degrade me I feel a sharp pain in my right knee. I ignore it and keep going. And, as every ten minutes dictates, my side calls for a push-in. So I count out my twelve carts, and begin to push them in. Sharp pain comes back and I start seeing spots. I finish the push in, but at this point I can't hardly walk anymore.
To make a long story short, I'm given the run-around and told to take the weekend off before deciding the best course of action. I try to do my job when I come back, but blow all that rest in the first ten minutes and have to be taken to the hospital where I'm told I need pain meds and physical therapy. Joy.
The kicker? While filling out paperwork, they ask if I feel this is their fault. Well, seeing as how I hurt myself on the job, doing the job. Yes.
A written warning? Sure. Why not.
After being taken off injury, I resume my work. The only work that matters since sitting at a table trying to get people to sign up for a credit card. Talk about doing a while lot of nothing.
I'm by myself again, as usual, and racking carts onto the cart machine. Now, I'm in the middle of the lot, there are TWO open spaces at the front. I'm blocking an open one, so as not to get in anyone's way. No rule against that. I triple checked after this. A woman pulls up and stops. Now, for the record, I had already emptied one corral and was working on the other. So it's not like I just stopped there out of spite.
This woman waits for a few minutes, I realize what she's waiting on and motion at the two open spaces towards the front. She points forcefully at the one my machine is blocking and opens her palms in the "C'mon Capitan obvious!" that so many of us do when we're annoyed. I point again at the spaces towards the front and return the gesture. She doesn't have her window rolled down, so my words would've just hit glass and evaporated.
At this point she had three cars behind her and they start honking. They see the open spots. Finally, a car backs out of another spot right next to the corral I'm working at and she breaks the land speed record flying into that spot. I didn't think suburbans could move that fast. She gets out and tries her best to rip me a new one, but I'm not having any of it.
Her: Did you not see all the cars lined up behind me!?
Me: Yeah, and there were two open spots right up there where those cars are now parked. I even pointed them out to you when you first pulled up.
Her: What is your name? I'm reporting you to management.
Me: I'm not telling you my name. But you can talk to management.
Her: WHAT IS YOUR NAME!?
Me: I'm not telling you my name, ma'am. But please, feel free to talk to management.
At this point, I push proceed to rack the four carts I have onto the machine when I turn around, she's storming up to me. I brace for what appears to be imminent attack. Instead she gets right in my face. Close enough for me to smell the chicken salad sandwich on her breath.
Me: What are you doing?
Her: I'm studying your hat, so I can tell your boss which one you are.
Me: I'm the only one out here.
She storms away. I know now that she's serious about the whole management thing. So I continue my work for a few more minutes before going inside when I hear a bosses name called. I find my favorite CSM and ask her if the crazy lady came and talked to her. She said that this woman came in here and was yelling and calling her names and such and then wanted to speak to someone over her.
I laughed until the csm said that the lady changed tack with the boss. She was pious and nearly crying when she told the boss about the evil cart gatherer that wouldn't let her have her spot and how there were six cars behind her honking at her. Then I was angry for all of... three minutes. Then I forgot about it until the boss came out to talk to me.
Him: I heard you had a run-in with a customer?
Me: I did?
Him: Some lady in the parking lot?
Me: Oh, her. Yeah, well, she wanted a spot that the machine was in and I pointed at closer spots but she refused. It just got worse from there.
Him: Well, we'll talk about this again before you leave. I just wanted to get your side of the story.
My side of the story? REALLY? Wow. Well, my side of the story is what I saw happen. Some woman who obviously needs meds or counseling just went off the deep end when I refused to grant her her spot. So later on I get called into the back, where I sit there and wonder why I'm talking to the boss again, when I remember about the lady while he's in mid-sentence.
Me: Yeah, she was pretty hostile about the whole thing. I pointed out two closer spots for her convenience. She's the one who didn't take them. And the csm said that she was really mean and hostile with her too.
Him: She wasn't anything of the sort with me. In fact she was on the verge of tears. I don't think she could've been that way.
Me: You wanna talk to the csm then.
And it goes on. until we come to the part where I have to type in what I can do not to have this situation anymore.
"Tell the customer my name when they ask and do not direct them in a manner in which they do not wish to be directed. For mere convenience or otherwise."
It's only a courtesy, don't push it
1) The people that come into the store and buy everything in bulk and walk it packed in their van a certain way. Twelve carts and ten minutes later we're behind and we're pissed off, because you'll be back tomorrow buying the same amount of the same stuff. Go to Sam's or some other bulk item place. They'll be glad to give you a pallet's worth of bleach.
2) Park your cart IN THE FUGGIN CORRAL! You're parked right next to it, put it in. Or at least walk to the first one you see and put it in there. The handicap people are bad enough, but at least their laziness isn't without reason. You've been in that store for two hours and you have two bags. You're not in that big a hurry.
3) Oh, you lost your car? It's okay, it's only a fifteen thousand dollar piece of machinery you've misplaced. And no, I will not help you find it. Just go on using the clicker to set the alarm off. Waving that thing around hoping your car will get decent signal. You look about as stupid as a genius trying to change the channel with a hairbrush.
4) Locking your car as an afterthought? Wow, we've reached a new low in how we value our possessions. You get out of the car and walk away then hit the button to lock the door when you're too far away to run back if someone climbs into the thing. And do you really need to hear the horn toot seven or eight times before you're sure it's locked?
5) I don't, and have never known when the bus comes. So stop asking. I don't want to talk to you, you smell like the inside of my shoes, and I hope to God you missed the bus at least once so I can watch you throw a tantrum about how you only went in for cigarettes.
And in conclusion...
6) I am not in charge of the cart gatherers. They do not listen to me. You don't pay me to tell them what to do, you barely pay me enough to do the bare minimum that this job requires me to do. Stop yelling at me for what Cameron and Josh aren't doing because I do. not. care.
Before my time:
Just a few days before I started my job one of my ex-coworkers had a run-in with a particularly... crotchety old woman.
They were pushing by hand as the cart machine had died (Presumably ten minutes after being taken off the charger
) and the guy leading (Can't remember his name) noticed a car coming as they were coming off the row so he hollered at Cameron to stop pushing so they wouldn't have an accident. Cameron stopped and the lady in the car slowed down as well. They waited, and she came to a stop in front of them.Her: Customers always go first!
Him: I know, that's why I stopped.
Her: It didn't look that way to me.
Him: Whatever.
The situation further degrades from there. She slams on the accelerator and he yells after her something obscene. When she goes in to tell management, they didn't believe her. So score for him. It was his last day there, so I see it as a two-for-one.
Why, yes, I'll potentially risk permanent injury to myself
After having worked 7 out of 9 hours by myself, both sides of the store cart bays were looking particularly bare. It was the first of the month, what else could be expected when working by oneself. So after my relief got there I went inside to try to take my break when I was confronted by my arch-nemesis and the boss.
Him: It's looking pretty rough out there.
Me: Been by myself out there all day.
Him: You were doing good earlier. What happened? *Talks to me like I'm 'special'* Were there a lot of carry-outs today?
Me: As a matter of fact there were. *walks away without getting break*
Now, as I let my temper get the better of me, I start pushing carts faster so as not to give him an excuse to further degrade me I feel a sharp pain in my right knee. I ignore it and keep going. And, as every ten minutes dictates, my side calls for a push-in. So I count out my twelve carts, and begin to push them in. Sharp pain comes back and I start seeing spots. I finish the push in, but at this point I can't hardly walk anymore.
To make a long story short, I'm given the run-around and told to take the weekend off before deciding the best course of action. I try to do my job when I come back, but blow all that rest in the first ten minutes and have to be taken to the hospital where I'm told I need pain meds and physical therapy. Joy.
The kicker? While filling out paperwork, they ask if I feel this is their fault. Well, seeing as how I hurt myself on the job, doing the job. Yes.
A written warning? Sure. Why not.
After being taken off injury, I resume my work. The only work that matters since sitting at a table trying to get people to sign up for a credit card. Talk about doing a while lot of nothing.
I'm by myself again, as usual, and racking carts onto the cart machine. Now, I'm in the middle of the lot, there are TWO open spaces at the front. I'm blocking an open one, so as not to get in anyone's way. No rule against that. I triple checked after this. A woman pulls up and stops. Now, for the record, I had already emptied one corral and was working on the other. So it's not like I just stopped there out of spite.
This woman waits for a few minutes, I realize what she's waiting on and motion at the two open spaces towards the front. She points forcefully at the one my machine is blocking and opens her palms in the "C'mon Capitan obvious!" that so many of us do when we're annoyed. I point again at the spaces towards the front and return the gesture. She doesn't have her window rolled down, so my words would've just hit glass and evaporated.
At this point she had three cars behind her and they start honking. They see the open spots. Finally, a car backs out of another spot right next to the corral I'm working at and she breaks the land speed record flying into that spot. I didn't think suburbans could move that fast. She gets out and tries her best to rip me a new one, but I'm not having any of it.
Her: Did you not see all the cars lined up behind me!?
Me: Yeah, and there were two open spots right up there where those cars are now parked. I even pointed them out to you when you first pulled up.
Her: What is your name? I'm reporting you to management.
Me: I'm not telling you my name. But you can talk to management.
Her: WHAT IS YOUR NAME!?
Me: I'm not telling you my name, ma'am. But please, feel free to talk to management.
At this point, I push proceed to rack the four carts I have onto the machine when I turn around, she's storming up to me. I brace for what appears to be imminent attack. Instead she gets right in my face. Close enough for me to smell the chicken salad sandwich on her breath.
Me: What are you doing?
Her: I'm studying your hat, so I can tell your boss which one you are.
Me: I'm the only one out here.
She storms away. I know now that she's serious about the whole management thing. So I continue my work for a few more minutes before going inside when I hear a bosses name called. I find my favorite CSM and ask her if the crazy lady came and talked to her. She said that this woman came in here and was yelling and calling her names and such and then wanted to speak to someone over her.
I laughed until the csm said that the lady changed tack with the boss. She was pious and nearly crying when she told the boss about the evil cart gatherer that wouldn't let her have her spot and how there were six cars behind her honking at her. Then I was angry for all of... three minutes. Then I forgot about it until the boss came out to talk to me.
Him: I heard you had a run-in with a customer?
Me: I did?
Him: Some lady in the parking lot?
Me: Oh, her. Yeah, well, she wanted a spot that the machine was in and I pointed at closer spots but she refused. It just got worse from there.
Him: Well, we'll talk about this again before you leave. I just wanted to get your side of the story.
My side of the story? REALLY? Wow. Well, my side of the story is what I saw happen. Some woman who obviously needs meds or counseling just went off the deep end when I refused to grant her her spot. So later on I get called into the back, where I sit there and wonder why I'm talking to the boss again, when I remember about the lady while he's in mid-sentence.
Me: Yeah, she was pretty hostile about the whole thing. I pointed out two closer spots for her convenience. She's the one who didn't take them. And the csm said that she was really mean and hostile with her too.
Him: She wasn't anything of the sort with me. In fact she was on the verge of tears. I don't think she could've been that way.
Me: You wanna talk to the csm then.
And it goes on. until we come to the part where I have to type in what I can do not to have this situation anymore.
"Tell the customer my name when they ask and do not direct them in a manner in which they do not wish to be directed. For mere convenience or otherwise."
It's only a courtesy, don't push it
1) The people that come into the store and buy everything in bulk and walk it packed in their van a certain way. Twelve carts and ten minutes later we're behind and we're pissed off, because you'll be back tomorrow buying the same amount of the same stuff. Go to Sam's or some other bulk item place. They'll be glad to give you a pallet's worth of bleach.
2) Park your cart IN THE FUGGIN CORRAL! You're parked right next to it, put it in. Or at least walk to the first one you see and put it in there. The handicap people are bad enough, but at least their laziness isn't without reason. You've been in that store for two hours and you have two bags. You're not in that big a hurry.
3) Oh, you lost your car? It's okay, it's only a fifteen thousand dollar piece of machinery you've misplaced. And no, I will not help you find it. Just go on using the clicker to set the alarm off. Waving that thing around hoping your car will get decent signal. You look about as stupid as a genius trying to change the channel with a hairbrush.
4) Locking your car as an afterthought? Wow, we've reached a new low in how we value our possessions. You get out of the car and walk away then hit the button to lock the door when you're too far away to run back if someone climbs into the thing. And do you really need to hear the horn toot seven or eight times before you're sure it's locked?
5) I don't, and have never known when the bus comes. So stop asking. I don't want to talk to you, you smell like the inside of my shoes, and I hope to God you missed the bus at least once so I can watch you throw a tantrum about how you only went in for cigarettes.
And in conclusion...
6) I am not in charge of the cart gatherers. They do not listen to me. You don't pay me to tell them what to do, you barely pay me enough to do the bare minimum that this job requires me to do. Stop yelling at me for what Cameron and Josh aren't doing because I do. not. care.
. I also had people creeping up behind me honking. something about the sound waves made my back sore, and I had to stop and pop it, it was the damnedest thing. had a couple times that there was a space that the customers turned into a cart return(I used to get there to find maybe 100 carts between the 2 bays and hundreds of carts in the parking lot, in an $80M/yr store, and no one ran out of carts on my watch on a weeknight, I don't really think they cared how I did it, just that I did it), so I just straightened it up first, and someone wanted it, but I was alone, and had 3 trips worth of carts there, no one ever got me talked to about my methods of pushing carts, just a few angry idiots who may or may not have been given an "I'll talk to him" by my managers
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