A story from my mother's retail hell...

[PorkChop]

My Mom worked for K-Mart for 21 years. She was let go when her store closed down during a round of closings several years ago. I loved her KMart, I knew everyone who worked there, it was my second home. Anyways, when I was 5 0r 6 years old, my Dad and I went to her work to pick her up. We were walking toward her in one aisle when this idiot decided to yell at my mom. He was berating her about the prices about some items and how Wal Mart is better. I was protective of my Mom (still am today at age 24).
I yelled at him, "Don't talk to my Mommy that way! That is not nice you big meany! Say you're sorry!"
The idiot customer looks down at me, embarrassed, and walks away. He didn't say he was sorry!
My Mom didn't scold me to for talking back at this idiot, I think she was glad, since she was tired and was ready to home. I don't remember doing this but, I am glad that I did!

Fast forward many years...

I was already grown up, living in another state when Mom told me her store is closing. I was sad. During the liquidation sales, everything is dirt, stinkin cheap! You would think that everyone would love the prices! Nope! All sales are final, no refunds, no exchanges! Customers were angry and berating my Mom that no wander KMart is closing since they suck. My Mom called these customers "vultures", picking all the goods and basically wanting everything for free. I felt really bad for this KMart. I grew up there and it seemed like home. Hearing about these vultures tearing down this store was disheartening.
When I was in Air Force basic training, her co-workers wrote me letters of encouragement. That was how close most of everyone was there.

Now, my Mom works for the local university in the financial aid office and she likes it there.

[XCashier]

to a fellow Zonie!

And good for you for standing up for your Mom. I think that SC was quite humiliated by being called on his childish behavior by a child. Good job.

[Jester]

Hey, there are a few Zonies here, thank you very much.

Just because I happen to be down here on my Tropical Tourist Island at the bottom of Florida doesn’t mean I have forgotten my desert roots.

Oh, and don’t forget….GO SUN DEVILS!

[PorkChop]

A lot of the people here are Tustoned. If you're from Zonie, you'll know what that means! If not, it is a city south of Pheonix.

Hi fellow Zonies!

[XCashier]

Hey, there are a few Zonies here, thank you very much.

Oh, I know that, I just like to see someone from my little corner of the universe. I certainly wasn't excluding you!

[Gawdzillers]

Told off by a six-year-old.

[MadMike]

Did Wal-Mart even exist 18 years ago? I know I'm getting old, but damn, I didn't think they were around that long.

[Tria]

Did Wal-Mart even exist 18 years ago? I know I'm getting old, but damn, I didn't think they were around that long.

I dunno, but I do know that if Sam Walton could see his store and the way the employees are treated....

[greensinestro]

Yes, Wal-Mart did exist 18 years ago. I've known about their existance since 1983 when they had not expanded yet. This was in Tennessee where everyone and everybody is friendly to one another.

In South Florida, forget it. Both customers and employees of Wal-Mart suck, especially in the Supercenters. I may as well be in the middle of a family's outing with the way things go there.

[karma_gypsy]

He was berating her about the prices about some items and how Wal Mart is better.

And did this person know that K-Mart is no way affiliated with Wal-Mart? It seems a lot of people don't know that . . . we get a lot of people through here saying our prices are too high (we do haggle - this is a pawn shop), and how Wal-Mart is sooo much better (come on, a 32" Sony TV for $150, ya mister, you go find that deal at Wal-Mart, I'll even give you directions.)

[Jester]

I dunno, but I do know that if Sam Walton could see his store and the way the employees are treated....

If he could see it, he would be proud, actually, as he was the one that instituted the whole thing in the first place. You may be forgetting that Mr. Sam died not that long ago, and up until his death I believe he was very involved with the chain, including their policies of moving in to towns and running Mom and Pop joints into the ground, AND how they treated their employees. Mr. Sam was not really the loveable old grandfather figure he liked to portray, I am afraid.

[Barefootgirl]

We were walking toward her in one aisle when this idiot decided to yell at my mom. He was berating her about the prices about some items and how Wal Mart is better. I was protective of my Mom (still am today at age 24).
I yelled at him, "Don't talk to my Mommy that way! That is not nice you big meany! Say you're sorry!"

For some reason this reminds me of that scene outside the jail in To Kill A Mockingbird, when Scout talks to Mr Cunningham about Walter, and shames the lynch mob into going home. I know its not quite of the same magnitude, but it still reminds me. Good for you for sticking up for your mum, PorkChop.