I’ve worked retail for 30 years so the fact that my sanity is only questioned occasionally amazes me!   I have learned that the most ugly and unpleasant people have issues before they even set foot in your store so when they throw their childish fits and snooty little tantrums I’m ready.   They usually leave happy and return and live to see another day.  Cay sera sera!

Tonight another personality type arrived in a very tall, unkempt male package.   He came lumbering into the store and he wasn’t the least bit friendly so when I said hello to him, he looked as if he would have bit me had I been standing closer to him.   He reminded me of a bear that had gotten forced out of hibernation a few months early and he wasn’t at all happy about it.  He looked around impatiently for a minute but then mustered up the energy to ask me if we had letters. I asked what kind of letters he was looking for and led him to the aisle that housed stick on letters. Later he asked if we had eyelet makers. I told him we had eyelets and the tools to install them and immediately showed him where they were. It turns out we have 3 different pliers that apply different size eyelets and 1 that installs snaps. I had to look at each one as I wasn’t sure how each one differed and when it came to the one for snaps I simply read aloud what was printed on the package and he said, in a rather sarcastic tone, “Oh, you’re really smart. I could have read that myself.” I thought about just letting it roll off my back as I turned to walk away and then I decided not to.  Sarcasm gets me almost every time and so I said, “Yes, I am actually very smart. Thank you. I can tell you where almost every item we carry is located and how to use it and this store and my knowledge of it’s merchandise is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to my intelligence. Have a wonderful evening.” Perhaps to some, that would appear to be an ass whoopin’ “on the clock” style but I really don’t like having my intelligence questioned.  It was unfortunate for him that he had a very chauvinistic, condescending type persona because it’s those types that bring out my inner beast.  I think I handled things quite well and he left with a bag containing some sticky letters, a plier to install eyelets and a complimentary attitude adjustment.  I think he knew he was rude as I do remember him saying it had been a lllllloooooonnnngggggg day!

Tomorrow I will get to deal with an entirely new set of moods and emotions that will have strategically attached themselves to the bodies that will walk through our doors and once again I will put on my suit of armor and make every attempt to assure them that they are right about everything unless of course, they try to sarcastically tell me how “smart” I am!