Racist, bigoted SC

[Arachne]

I know that there are a lot of very small-minded people out there, but in my job, I'm shocked when I see them. See, most people who can afford to buy the yarn we sell (which is very pricey) are fairly affluent people. And while affluent women aren't, on the whole, less small minded than other people, they do tend to be better about hiding it when they are, at least in the progressive town where I live.

So this lady really shocked me.

She came in, first off, implying that we'd given her moths. Now, those of you who don't knit or crochet don't understand how serious an accusation this is. Wool moths, if unleashed in a knitter's stash, will destroy it. And we knitters tend to accumulate spare skeins of silk, cashmere, and other expansive fibers.

... And if the moths get into our sweaters and fine lacy shawls that took months of our lives to make?

So anyway, that was how she opened.

SC: I got a skein of yarn from you, and I think it gave me moths.

Me: *shocked* What? Ma'am, are you sure? We only stock major brands of yarn, and most of the major companies are very careful to treat their wool for moths. Can you tell me which yarn you suspect gave you the moths?

SC: No, I did. It was... it was this yarn here.

(She picks up a skein of Peruvian wool from a large company.)

Me: Ma'am, that yarn is from a pretty large company. I can't imagine that they would stay in business if they were in the habit of shipping wool with moths in it.

SC: But I know it was this yarn!

Me: Is it possible that you bought some handspun from a local dealer around the same time? I know that there's a person who has sold tainted yarn to a couple other customers.

SC: Yes, but it wasn't that yarn! It was this one. *she lowers her voice* See, I looked on the label, and saw that the yarn is made in Peru. See? It's Peruvian wool. And I was thinking...

Me: (I know where this is going. No one lowers their voice like that in an empty room unless they're about to say something they know they shouldn't say.) What is it you were thinking?

SC: Well, you know. Since it comes from Peru...

Me: *archly* No, ma'am. I don't know. Why is this important?

SC: Never mind.

After I essentially called her on what she was about to say, she took her bigoted self OUT OF MY STORE. You know what she was going to say? She was going to say that since Peru is such a nasty, dirty country, of COURSE any yarn spun there would come back with all sorts of parasites. The yarn she bought that was spun in the good old US of A? Not a chance. It must have been the nasty Peru yarn.

[Becks]

Some people. My damn.

[nick1091]

Wow. So, a local dealer with a track record of moths is obviously not the cuplrit, it has to be the well known, large Peruvian manufacturer? Makes no sense.

Besides, how could anyone dislike Peru? Isn't that where Paddington Bear is from?

[SuperB]

Well, to be fair, regulations in *some* countries can be less stringent than in the US. (although I know nothing about Peru, or wool for that matter ) Now a large company that distributes globally shouldn't be something to worry about but a smaller outfit "could" cut corners in areas that aren't forced to be met. (trust me, some US companies would if they could)

It's just a thought about where she could be coming from if she wasn't being racist, or maybe she had a bad experience but she had no right to accuse a store without proof. Especially one with an excellent track record.

[tollbaby]

Well, to be fair, regulations in *some* countries can be less stringent than in the US. (although I know nothing about Peru, or wool for that matter ) Now a large company that distributes globally shouldn't be something to worry about but a smaller outfit "could" cut corners in areas that aren't forced to be met. (trust me, some US companies would if they could)

Yes, however both the US and Canada have VERY stringent import regulations, and biological byproducts such as wool are always inspected at the border before being allowed into the country. If there were moths or eggs in the yarn, it would have been destroyed at the border. So the chances are actually BETTER that the moths would have come from a local distribution centre than from imported goods. (I used to work for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which is in charge of inspecting this sort of stuff when it comes into the country, and I'm familiar with our American counterparts who do the same thing for the US).

[georgiab]

Arachne, You should have just asked to see the yarn directly and then stated your case ...If the yarn did not infact come from your location then you could have stated so and cased closed!

[squall]

Reminds me of a lady I came across once. I helped her find a dvd. When I picked it up off the shelf and gave it to her she turns it over, and starts reading the back. On the shrink wrap was written in tiny letters "Made in Mexico".

Her first question to me was........you guessed it....

"If it doesn't work, can I get my money back?"

Not one to beat around the bush, I asked her what she was implying with that question. She left looking a little embarassed.

[Gurndigarn]

Besides, how could anyone dislike Peru? Isn't that where Paddington Bear is from?

Well, I spent some time in Ecuador, see, and...

(I've heard that there are some wonderful Peruvians out there. Usually said in the same tone of an Englishman admitting there are decent Frenchmen in the world.)

[SuperB]

Yes, however both the US and Canada have VERY stringent import regulations, and biological byproducts such as wool are always inspected at the border before being allowed into the country. If there were moths or eggs in the yarn, it would have been destroyed at the border. So the chances are actually BETTER that the moths would have come from a local distribution centre than from imported goods. (I used to work for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which is in charge of inspecting this sort of stuff when it comes into the country, and I'm familiar with our American counterparts who do the same thing for the US).

Ah, I didn't equate wool with something required to be inspected as it comes in.

[Arachne]

Some quick answers for y'all:

georgiab, the problem with your suggestion is that once yarn with wool moths gets into your stash, the moths get into EVERYTHING. It's like a buffet to them. So regardless of which skein started the infestation, it had most certainly spread to everything this lady owned.

trollbaby, US border regulations or not, it's not a matter of what the company can get away with, re: the government. The problem is that if you want to sell pricey yarn, you -cannot- get a reputation for having moths. That would be Bad. Knitters network quite a lot, word would get out, and NO ONE would buy your yarn. Yarn stores wouldn't even carry it.

Regardless, the way the SC lady lowered her voice indicated that she knew she was saying something that wasn't socially acceptable. I'm pretty sure that the implication was that Peru was a dirty country without sanitation where moths could and did get into everything.

[simplyanother]

Thankfully, most of the bigot customers that come into the store keep it to themselves.

I do get people who like to tell me how bad "the gays" are. One woman told me all about how "the gays" were molesting young boys in bathrooms, and why that's why she took her young son into the ladies room. It had started out as normal chit-chat, but then she broke out the "I'm sorry if what I'm about to say offends you or anyone in your family"... and proceeded to tell me how "they" also "recruit." I was seriously flabberghasted. I WISH I could have come up with a response--but I fell silent, and she did shut up. I've never felt so disgusted as I was with this woman. (Who also told me she was homeschooling her children. To avoid "the gays", among others).

Another woman came to my register, and she was talking about some medical procedure. The chat turned to insurance, and somehow, it's the fault of "the gays".

I'm learning not to chat so much with customers. That way I won't find out which customers are nasty, vile people.

[georgiab]

That's the difference between where you and I work.......now isn't it!

[tollbaby]

trollbaby, US border regulations or not, it's not a matter of what the company can get away with, re: the government. The problem is that if you want to sell pricey yarn, you -cannot- get a reputation for having moths. That would be Bad. Knitters network quite a lot, word would get out, and NO ONE would buy your yarn. Yarn stores wouldn't even carry it.

I understand I was merely trying to point out that she seemed to be implying that the yarn was sub-standard simply because it was foreign... and if it was foreign, it never would have made it into the country if it had moths, or moth eggs Either way, woman's an idiot and was looking for an easy scapegoat for her own stupidity

and ouch on the typo LOL (I realize it's probably just a genuine typo, but I've had people call me "trollbaby" when they were trying to be mean LOL)

[GayleShy]

(Who also told me she was homeschooling her children. To avoid "the gays", among others).

Damn, the one best way to really interest your kid on any subject that you find taboo is to shelter them from it. Many parents find that out too late and the hard way.

[ShortTemperHatesStupidity]

Damn, the one best way to really interest your kid on any subject that you find taboo is to shelter them from it. Many parents find that out too late and the hard way.

And wouldn't that just be the icing on her cake