Friday, September 20, 2013

Friday | Reflections on Retail


It's a crazy adventure, working in a big store like Target. No matter how good I get at my work routine, there's always so many variables that keep me on my toes and poised for the next run-in with an interesting customer or situation.

There's the woman who sings with unabashed gusto while she shops or my recent putrid run-in with a leaky toufu.

How nobody can ever find the sour cream or how people inevitably ask me (the girl in obvious red and khaki) “do you work here?” while I'm on my hands and knees with my head stuck inside the bottom of a freezer.

And if you  ever thought it was embarrassing going through the check out while purchasing “feminine products” with a guy as your cashier...try having it be a guy you know and work with. That's awkward.

And then there was that one short little lady with the lisp who was all worked up because we were out of Knudsen brand cottage cheese (despite a whole section of house brand cottage cheese) and what would happen to her dogs tonight when she couldn't give them their bowl of Knudsen brand cottage cheese that they expect every single day? Oh, ma'am, let me just wave my magic wand and save your dogs from this ill-fated cottage-cheese-less day!

And of course, Her Majesty the Queen who with cold, steely iron in her voice talked me down because I, a Target employee of a week and a half, dared to not know where the extension cords happened to be.

Life is never dull on the Target dance floor and as my repertoire of humorous stories builds, so does my confidence and even enjoyment of the work that I do.

The best part is still the moment I unpin my name tag and walk out those sliding doors into the freedom of the rest of the day off. Pure, unadulterated bliss.

P.S. If you live in the area, feel free to drop by sometime and say hi. I'd be tickled pink. :)

 

18 comments:

  1. Cute blog post, Kellie. Love getting these life updates. :)

    PS: Miss you around here, girl.

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    1. Hopefully I'll be around more now that summer is finishing up! :)

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    2. Well, selfishly I hope so, but I totally understand - it's been a busy last couple of weeks for me, a kind of end-of-summer "rush," if you will. :) If I lived near you, I'd stop in to say hello. There'd be two awesome things about that stop a.) saying "hi" to you and b.) shopping at Target! Love that store.

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    3. It would totally make my day if you did! :D

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  2. LOL! I worked in "retail hell" for seven years before I got out. It's "interesting" (which is a nice way of putting it!) for sure! ;)

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    1. Ah, then you know just what I'm talkin' about, girl. ;)

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  3. I had to chuckle at your stories because it brought me back to my 5 1/2 years of working in a department store. There's certainly nothing like it - very rewarding at times and also extremely irritating (a great big thank you to people being upset at you when you didn't do anything :) ) It was life experience that I'm very thankful for and it gave me many interesting stories to tell - stopping shoplifters, helping people find that perfect thing for that special someone, etc, etc, etc. From what you said, working there is not exactly what you had planned but you'll have many opportunities to brighten someone's day - "Be kind, for every one you meet is fighting a battle." Sorry, I'll get off my soap box now. :) I just wanted to make sure to encourage you that the job you're doing is really important.

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    1. What lovely commiseration! It is such an "interesting" job, for sure! I just got back from a mid-shift and my brother asked me, "so any interesting stories to tell today?" :D

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  4. aww, I liked those stories! :D
    (but seriously, certain-brand cottage cheese? dear me)

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    1. No joke. It was so ridiculous it was hilarious. :D

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  5. Hehehe (especially the cottage cheese story!). Humans are totally hilarious, aren't they? ;D I work seasonally in a tiny general store (in an equally tiny, but also tourist-busy town), so I get where you are coming from. Sometimes people expect/say the craziest things. Every once in a while I'm tempted to just let aggravation simmer in my soul, but as soon as I can distance myself from it a little bit, and think about the story it will make when I get home, the only logical thing to do is laugh. :D

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    1. Ah yes!! The things that usually make us the maddest often turn into the funniest stories to tell later! :D

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  6. I enjoyed reading these funny glimpses into your job life. Especially about the lady and the cottage cheese for her dogs. Let me just say...wow. Anyways, I wish I could pop in for a spell at that Target! ;)

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  7. I feel like everyone at some point in life should have to work customer service. In retail or the food industry--I cannot believe the way some people behave! So silly...

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    1. It's been such a great experience for me, Angela! Definitely learning a lot and experiencing a lot! :D

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  8. it amazes me how rude some people can be. I worked at a Christian bookstore and the amount of RUDENESS that slithered off people....bleh. I actually told someone right back off at one point (it had to be the 12th time they had yelled at me since I worked there, you gotta love those regular customers). they went to my manager, and she told them that they weren't being very graceful. BAHAHAHA

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    1. Hahaha, how nice to have your manager on your side! But yes...I've thought that same thing when I've been inside a Christian book store - you really do see some of the nastiest people...

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