The Nemesis

[XCashier]

Everyone has one; a repeat SC who's always looking for a reason to be an ass, someone you can't please no matter what, who comes back time and time again despite the "lousy service". Well, I think I've found mine.

She's a rather nondescript, thirty-something with short blond hair. Not pretty or ugly, not tall or short, no distinguishing features of any kind. Describes more than a few of our customers, so I don't always realize it's her until she starts up her nonsense. I'm sure naming her after a goddess will only stoke her ego.

The first time I met her was when I first started working the fabric store. I was running the register, and the customer I was serving asked me where the restroom was. "I'm sorry, we don't have a public restroom," I replied, which is the truth. Customer finishes transaction, heads out.

Nemesis walks up, and immediately starts scolding me, saying I treated that woman like dirt. I did not, and I informed her that I told her the truth, we have no public restrooms. "Yeah, I'll bet you don't," she sneered sarcastically. Oh boy, we're off to a happy start.

Second problem I had with her I wrote about in this post (the second customer) and I'm too tired to type it up again.

Today, she came up to me, wanting multiple cuts from one bolt of fabric.

ME: I'm sorry, it's against policy to make multiple cuts from one bolt of fabric.
NEM: What?! That's outrageous, I've never heard of such a thing!

She continued to mutter throughout the transaction, then informed me that she would be writing a letter of complaint.

ME: There you go, ma'am, see you next time!

Later I told one of the managers about it. She said I was in the right, that it is a company policy not to do multiple cuts because people would abuse it and it would hold up the line, and not to worry about her because some people just live to make life difficult for others.

[MoonCat]

Hmm...why not just buy the whole bolt? Or get one cut and come back a little later for another?

[BrenDAnn]

I could see the returning later thing being abused too though. Sounds like this lady is bitching her way closer and closer to a ban, if your management believes in such things as bans. For your sake, I hope he/she does!

[emax4]

ME: I'm sorry, it's against policy to make multiple cuts from one bolt of fabric.
NEM: What?! That's outrageous, I've never heard of such a thing!

"...Now you can't say that anymore since I've already told you, so now you can say that you HAVE heard it."

[Moosenogger]

I don't understand. Can that SC not count or cut for herself? Why on Earth would she require you to make multiple cuts of the same bolt? Just add up the total length and then cut the rest later.

Oh wait, that would require her to do work. Nevermind.

[XCashier]

Why on Earth would she require you to make multiple cuts of the same bolt?

Some folks are quilters, and want to quilt with 6", or 8", or 9" or whatever squares. They think if we cut them ten 6" lengths from one bolt, it'll save them time. First of all, it takes ten times as long to cut ten 6" lengths as it does to cut one 1 2/3 yards of fabric. If we do it for one person, we have to do it for everybody. And if everybody asks for that, the long wait at the cutting counter is going to get utterly horrible. So, to be fair to everybody, one cut per bolt is the rule.

Secondly, cutting the individual pieces is the customer's job, not ours. If we cut out individual squares for quilters, where will it end? What's to stop a SC who's making a dress from laying out the pattern and demanding we cut the individual pieces for them? And what if we make an error in cutting? It just keeps that can of worms unopened to make one cut per bolt and not do special cuts.

[Teefies2]

Yes I too have a nemesis. This is a lady who always comes in in a motorized wheelchair. No, she is not my nemesis because she is in a wheelchair and I usually bend over backwards to help people with issues such as that, or deafness, or service dogs, etc. However, I have to point out that this lady DRIVES herself to the store and THEN gets in the wheelchair to enter the store (I know this because I have seen her pull up to park, get out of the drivers' side, walk around to the back, and pull down the wheelchair, but that's another rant). Please don't go to fratching with this, I know some people can't walk huge distances, but this is not a megastore, and she never goes more than 50-60 feet into the store (the first two aisles or so).

Anyway, she ALWAYS ALWAYS has something to bitch about. Nine times out of ten, it's that whatever she bought last time is "doesn't work", isn't the "right color", or is "cheap". Okay, now if it doesn't work, I'll give you a refund no problem. It's not the right color? Well maybe when you got it home it didn't match, so okay refund no problem. But it's "cheap"????? YOU picked it out didn't you?????????

This last time was the best though. She comes up to my register with two boxes of mints. "Why is there no expiration date on this?" I take them from her and see that there is, indeed, no expiration date. This manufacturer is one of those that put codes on their products instead of an expiration date. Now, to me, that means it has a long shelf life, but me being a normal person, I would ask the company that made the product what the codes mean...... NOT THE CASHIER who clearly didn't make it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh no, that's not good enough for her. "YOUUUUUUUUUUUU have to put expiration dates on food. That's the LAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I try to explain that it's the manufacturer that is required to put the expiration date on food, not us, but no, she's not buying that. I try to suggest that she contact the manufacturer for an explanation of the code system, but nope, that's not working either. "Well this better not be bad, or I'll contact the media about your fraudulent (yes, she said that) food dating practices!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I am off today and tomorrow, but who wants to bet she comes in this weekend to return the mints because they are "out of date/bad"??????

[blas]

Every single regular customer at the gas station I worked at was a Nemesis to me. They were all SCs.

They all had something to bitch about. The prices of our ciggs (go to Kwik Trip then!), we only had one diesel pump, we didn't have fuel oil in the summer, we didn't have racing fuel in the winter, racing fuel was too expensive, the coffee was nasty every time they come here, the coffee is too expensive, we don't have a giant Kafe Caruba like Kwik Trip, no specialty coffees, the bathrooms were too small, we didn't sell anything harder than beer and malted alcoholic drinks, I never gave them a winning lotto ticket, our scratch offs didn't pay off....

I always wanted to yell WHY THE FUCK DO YOU KEEP COMING HERE THEN!

[emax4]

Anyway, she ALWAYS ALWAYS has something to bitch about. Nine times out of ten, it's that whatever she bought last time is "doesn't work", isn't the "right color", or is "cheap". Okay, now if it doesn't work, I'll give you a refund no problem. It's not the right color? Well maybe when you got it home it didn't match, so okay refund no problem. But it's "cheap"????? YOU picked it out didn't you??????

Would it be too much to ask to get the manager involved at this point? I was first going to suggest that you speak to her personally at the store AFTER your shift ends, so you could ask her, "m'am, we're doing out best here at the store. Why do you insist on complaining about something everytime you come here? Don't you ever get tired of complaining? Have you ever had a day where you could just be happy instead of whining about something?" It's a little personal, yes, but someone's got to prove this lady wrong. It's a little over the top though and not worth stating. At least she's not always getting on your case about you or something you did, but rather about the store's products. Still, I can understand why it would be so nerve-racking.

[Draco]

It is if she's simply trying to garner sympathy with it. I mean, who would tell a lady in a wheelchair no? That'd look like some form of discrimination!

While there are plenty of legitimate reasons, with her attitude, there are plenty of <i>illegitimate</i> reasons as well.

[Teefies2]

Thank you Draco!

[Peppergirl]

Hey guys -

Just a reminder. Lets focus on the SC nature of the story and not the surrounding issues, like offering opinions about the need for a wheelchair.

Thanks

[AccountingDrone]

I am off today and tomorrow, but who wants to bet she comes in this weekend to return the mints because they are "out of date/bad"??????

I don't take sucker bets ... but I agree, those mints will end up returned.

I hope that the ban-hammer descends upon her soon!

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

ME: I'm sorry, it's against policy to make multiple cuts from one bolt of fabric.
NEM: What?! That's outrageous, I've never heard of such a thing!

I've always hated people who ask for that. Really? Is it so @#$%ing hard to cut it yourself? What's next people? Pinning the pattern for you? Cutting out the pieces? Pinning the pieces together? Having us sew the goddamn thing for you?

For Christ's sake, where does it end?

[Teefies2]

Hey guys -

Just a reminder. Lets focus on the SC nature of the story and not the surrounding issues, like offering opinions about the need for a wheelchair.

Thanks

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to start a rant about wheelchair use, but I see how it could have been interpreted that way.