My Coworker is NOT a "Monster"

[Jay 2K Winger]

So my coworker CR, who works FDLP checking receipts, has eczema and some other medical condition that's caused his fingers to become slightly deformed. Not badly enough that he can't hold a pencil or anything like that, but it can be a little disconcerting the first couple of times you see it. I've worked with him for years now, so I'm used to it.

His condition is non-contagious. This is important.

Now, CR has had the occasional person that doesn't know his condition is non-contagious, and will freak out a little when he hands their receipt back to him. Nothing usually too serious.

Until last night.

The MOD comes up to me-- I'd been doing re-shops and watching SCO and doing other miscellaneous stuff on the front line-- and asks me to take over on the door for a few minutes. All she tells me is she needs to talk to CR for a minute. So I head on up.

CR tells me before he walks away that he had a customer call him a "Monster." He held up his hands, by way of demonstration, and even added, "Because of my hands." He was speaking in a low, flat tone that I've come to recognize as his "I'm barely containing my emotions" tone.

He walks off, and I seethe for a minute or two on his behalf. CR went off to the breakroom or bathroom, presumably to compose himself, then came back up and finished his shift without further problems.

But yeah. I want to find that lady that called him a "monster" and give her a good shaking.

[Cookie]

Oh my gosh! What a bitch! That made ME mad and I don't even know CR! UGH! I can't even think of anything nasty enough to say about her!

[telecom_goddess]

people who say things like that deserve to have the same condition happen to them and see how THEY like it.

Sounds mean but hey how else would they learn?

[Polenicus]

That's horrible.

I've seen people with that kind of condition before. I admit it made me do a double take, but I recognized what it was (My Dad had psoriasis) and continued on with the transaction.

And I felt really really bad about the double take, though I don't think they noticed.

To haul off and call someone a monster for it? I can't even imagine that... you're saying someone is a horrible being that doesn't deserve to live because of a skin condition. How shallow are you?! What, do you figure there's a circle of hell reserved for murderers, traitors, and people with dandruff?

[Jay 2K Winger]

Psoriasis! My bad, that's what CR has. Not eczema. I dunno how I got the two mixed up. But yes. CR has psoriasis.

And Polenicus, there IS a special hell reserved for these kind of people. Oh, not people like CR, but people like this raging bitch. And we all know what that special hell is.

[Kristev]

Looks seem to be all anyone cares about nowadays, which is a shame, because they tell you nothing. Except in food prep.

[Soulstealer]

Psoriasis! My bad, that's what CR has. Not eczema. I dunno how I got the two mixed up. But yes. CR has psoriasis.

And Polenicus, there IS a special hell reserved for these kind of people. Oh, not people like CR, but people like this raging bitch. And we all know what that special hell is.

The one for child molesters and people who talk in movie theatres?

I'd have banned her if I was the manager.

[flutes_and_fabric]

That sucks. I can relate because my fingers are really crooked and bend backwards and I'm a musician. It doesn't mess things up at all, and I actually had extensions put on my flute to help. I was at a masterclass once and the teacher I guess noticed something was off with my hand position. He went to grab my fingers to reposition them and then realized they bent that way on their own. He wouldn't come near me after that. It was weird and people can just be stupid sometimes.

[HYHYBT]

If you know, what did MOD say to CR?

[TheSHAD0W]

As an ogre, I can't see anything wrong with being a monster.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

The only thing that keeps me sane and calm when I hear stories like this is the fervent hope and belief that the cosmos will at some point teach this woman some compassion. The hard way.

[PepperElf]

for CR

the real "monsters" are the cockwallets who think that it's OK to treat others like poop just for being different

[TelephoneAngel]

I had this with a coworker who was the nicest most helpful man you ever met, he had a very severe facial deformity, the type which on first glance does make most people step back a little, (absolutley normal reaction even for nonsucky people on seeing something different they were not expecting) but most people then realised what they were looking at and carried on their transaction as normal.

But there were some who said he should not be working with the public, he scared their children, or other such nonsense and often they would say it to his face! Some would even coe up to me and say "whats wrong with your coworker?" (i would say, i dont know, ask him, he's always willing to explain if people ask politely)

[Aisling]

... you're saying someone is a horrible being that doesn't deserve to live because of a skin condition. How shallow are you?!

Their wits, like their compassion, run only skin deep. :P

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I had a regular ustomer that had something, I don't know what. Clearly some neuroligical problem. He was a young man. Kind of good looking, actually. He walked like a marionette that was being controlled by someone who was drunk and violent. Like he was fighting against an invisible hand shoving him and pulling him. He talked in a heavily slurred, staggering, broken drawl and his hands shook so violently he could barely hold onto anything. Sometimes he drooled a bit and bumped into people.

Needless to say, people stared at him. Nobody was stupid or cruel enough to comment on him while he was in the room, thank God. At least I didn't witness it.

But they did stare. And the guy had absolutely nothing wrong with his mind. Sharp as anyone's. The sad bit is that when stupid people see someone like this, or like your coworker, they often assume that their mind isn't working properly, either. And that they won't see the looks on other people's faces and be hurt by them.

I cannot imagine what kind of stupidity and cruelty it would take to call someone with a disorder or deformity a "monster", but I would think it would border on the subhuman.