Frazzled

I don't know why, but today was particularly frazzling and crazy. Possibly this was just me.

There was some unrest going on between my coworkers, when one told the other she had an attitude problem.

I had to ask my boss if it was ok to call the guy on the floor up to the register if I felt like smacking someone. He said yes.

When I clocked back into work after lunch my store manager tells me that if I can deal with our customers and issues at this store, then I can handle any fucking job anyfuckingwhere.

The last straw was when my relief coworker comes in late and then SHOPS! I saw him in aisle three gettin' his protein bars, then coming up to the register. Granted, I only punched out eight minutes late, but he shouldn't be coming in late, and then grabbing what he wants before coming to his post. I don't even do that in the mornings when we aren't busy. But at 4:30 in the afternoon, its Drive Time and I was swamped and my line was long even with the guy at Register Two. Speaking of that guy, I asked him if he could come up to my register at 4:25 so I could put away my overstock and clock out on time. He didn't, but then he made up for it by listening to me vent while I was in the aisles putting away some of my overstock, and he evidentily felt sorry for me or decided I was crazy enough to be a threat,(especially when I freaked out about not being able to find where the Orchard Blossoms Patriot candle went) so he offered to put the rest of the stuff up. On my way out I gently and kindly asked my store manager to tell the latecomer to stop coming in late and for the love of Baby Jesus don't shop before arriving at his post. And I told him if he doesn't tell him, I will and the way he says it will be a lot different then the way I'll say it. My store manager turns to my other manager and says "Looks like you have some work to do." Finally, at least someone will be working.

Good Karma

This morning this little, elderly Asian woman came up to my register needing to borrow a pen. She walked away and wrote on an empty box of store-brand allergy meds. As she was leaving she said she wanted to ask me a question. "Go ahead", I told her.
In broken and confusing English she told me she wanted to tell her aunt who wasn't really her aunt but actually a family friend, but not much of that either because she won't pick up her calls and she has always been mean to her, about this medication. She asked if she should call this woman even though she wasn't picking up her calls and has always been mean to her because of something this woman's (my customer's) mother had done to her. I tried to clarify the situation and I asked if she was sending this woman something in the mail. I thought maybe my customer wanted to send this family friend the meds she had just purchased. Because apparently the so-called family friend was not in good health and didn't leave the house much. I told my customer that it was karma interfering with the family friend's life, which was why she was in poor health and no one wanted to talk to her. I told her not to bother mailing her meds. Further clarification revealed that my customer only wanted to speak to her "aunt" to tell her about the effectiveness of the medication. The other woman lives in California. But she wouldn't pick up my customer's calls. I told this woman that even though this so-called friend had been difficult and mean to her because of what her mother may or may not have done, good karma would be on her way if she called the California woman to tell her about the medication. Even if Ms. California didn't pick up the phone, she should leave a message announcing the medication's effectiveness and suggesting she pick some up. If she does that it would prove she still cares about Ms. California despite the past misdeeds of said woman. Thus, her conscience would be clear and she would gain good karma. I told her it would be bad karma to withhold information from this woman.
She seemed to like this advice, and said she would call her so-called friend when she got home.

My friend in cosmetics heard part of this conversation and told me later that it sounded like I was in a therapy session.

Overtime

Today I got to clock out an hour early because I was going to get overtime. I miscalculated my breaks, though. I thought I still got the two fifteens and a lunch, but because it was a 7 hour shift, I got one fifteen and a lunch. So the home stretch was a little difficult. But it was nice to be able to leave sooner than usual. And an hour overtime is pretty significant.

Christmas Eve Day

I got to work super early, as in: 7:15 am, but I left at 4:30. I brought in a cake that said "Happy Holidays heart Kim". And we had Pita Inn lunch in the breakroom. Everyone brought something, maybe.

I rang up non-stop, pretty much. Losing my mind and stressing out. Although I didn't have a whole lot of arguments, just a ton of people. My boss says that if and when I feel like smacking someone in the side of the head, I need to call my coworker up to the register to cover me.

Our employee discount was 25% off, instead of our 15% off, so I bought a lot of stuff I wouldn't normally. And of course, more than I meant to.

This guy came in early, wearing pedaphociles and carrying a lot of papers, asking about when we were open. "What about tomorrow? Is the pharmacy open tomorrow? What about January 2nd? Are you open January 2nd? Is the pharmacy open?" I looked at him, and realized his belt and waistband were down past his waist. Just under his coat, I could see the skinny whiteness of his creepy thigh. I give him a "what the hell is wrong with you?" look. Then he gave me a similar look, which kind of threw me off. So I stared him down as he walked out of the store.

The First Day of Winter

Today was the first day of winter. The Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. An important day for the pagans. Unfourtuantly, all I did was bake some sugar cookies. And they weren't even that good.

I have been feeling especially crazy at work recently. I get real high-strung.

My sister and mother came in! They printed some collage prints, they shopped a little, and I made sure they got my discount. When they left my boss said they looked like me, which startled him, but he still wasn't sure if they were my family because they were quiet. Then he launched into some hypothetical conversation wherein he tells someone they know him from prison.

Clock Out!

Just a tip:
When your best cashier has to clock out at 4:30 but her relief/the second shift is about to get overtime so he won't show up until 5:30 or maybe 6, it might be a good idea to tell the cashier. Because then she won't spend 21 minutes standing at the register waiting until he shows up. And then she won't make the guy on the floor come to the register so he can take over and so he can tell the next cashier (who wasn't actually late, but she thought he was) that he was a bitch who needs to learn how to come to work on time. Actually, it's not even necessary to tell the best cashier the next guy will come in late. Just put it on the schedule so people know what the hell is going on.

Cosmetics and Assyrians

I was in cosmetics today, but I spent a while at the register stocking my cigarettes. I was super-tired, and kind of useless. It took me a long time to accomplish anything. And the day did not go as fast as anticipated. I got off at 4, which didn't come soon enough. As I clocked out, the next shift clocked in and she said there were cops outside because there was some woman who was falling all over our parking lot, and possibly in the street. She was drunk, evidentially.

One of my regulars asked if I was over 21, then said: "I only want to know because I am trying to ask you out for a drink." It seems when he gets stressed out, his accent comes out more. And when I told him I don't drink, and was about to mention I have a boyfriend, he interrupted me to say: "Tea? Lunch? Something?" Except not that desperate. When I relayed this info to my Assyrian coworker he said this guy must be Assyrian because he asked me out for tea instead of coffee.