customer followed me into the bathroom

[novicecrafter]

I am not sure if this belongs here or in sightings..


I was at a chain bookstore yesterday and witnessed a really annoying/rude sc. The employee helped her and went on break. Well.. we both went into the bathroom at the same time and the sc followed a few min later. Aparently she thought I was the employee and started asking me questions WHILE I WAS USING THE BATHROOM. I dont know what came over me and I am generally mortified at even the thought of this happening by accident... but after I told her politely that "sorry I cant help you" and she kept talking... I .. Well.. Um... Let loose the loudest fart of my life. She freaked out and started yelling and said she would get me fired. I left the stall, washed my hands and looked her in the face. You should have SEEN the look she gave me . A couple minutes later the employee left the bathroom and the sc didnt even approach her. I was too embarassed to admit it was me but the employee practically had tears in her eyes trying to avoid laughing.

[Emrld]

BRAVO - I really take issue with people who don't realize that people on break are just that - ON BREAK.
Following someone to the Bathroom is beyond wrong . . .of course in this day and age on Managers rolling over to show their belly . . .who knows what would have happened.

It has been many years since I worked retail and well their was a reason that employees had seperate bathrooms but, corporate can be cheap and don't think things through.

I do have to say the SC had no reason to get their panties in a twist. . . .according to most ettiquite books if someone does have to release gas - the bathroom is the appropriate place for that. (If choosing a place is an option)

[Boozy]

Wait - you were actually in the stall and she was asking you questions?



From an etiquette standpoint, the only inappropriate behaviour here was on the part of the customer.

[Shabo]

WTF? doesn't she know the unspoken rule of not talking in the women's room?

I bet she uses her cell phone while going to the bathroom, too! Nastiness!

[trunks2k]

WTF? doesn't she know the unspoken rule of not talking in the women's room?

Wait? No talking in the women's room? I thought that's where girls go to gossip.

[myswtghst]

Wait? No talking in the women's room? I thought that's where girls go to gossip.

Sometimes we do, especially at the bar, but not IN the stalls. We tend to congregate by the mirror, reapply lipgloss and gossip there. That is, if we gossip. Which, who am I kidding, my friends and I do.

And yes, I'm sorry, but following an employee on break and talking to them in the stall in the bathroom is a much bigger breach of etiquette than farting while using the bathroom.

[Blisskat]

How hilarious! I'm so sorry for you that she followed you in there, that is just soooo rude.


I had to laugh, and think about how in a future job interview I would explain why I was fired from my previous job (because, you know the SC said she would get you fired for your, um, explosion)

"Yes, well, I was fired from my last job because I had a little flatulance that apparently offended a psychotic customer....."

[Ill_Used_Heroine]

WTF? doesn't she know the unspoken rule of not talking in the women's room?

I bet she uses her cell phone while going to the bathroom, too! Nastiness!

We had a patron who called us to renew her books over the phone while she was in a public rest room!

No, I'm not making this up. It turned into a big mess, because the staff person who was helping her just couldn't believe that someone would do something that ... well, just wrong. The patron even asked her to hold on because she was using the toilet, and as an aside to a co-worker, the staff person said, "this is ridiculous" and the patron heard her and made a big stink about it (no pun intended). She came to the library afterward, and ranted and raved to the Branch Manager and even filled out an Incident Report. Phone calls were made back and forth and in the end, the staff person had to apologize to the patron!

Um ... is renewing your books that important that it can't wait until you're out of the rest room? What is wrong with people?

[wagegoth]

We had a patron who called us to renew her books over the phone while she was in a public rest room!

Why would the staff person have to apologize? A library is free. It's a service provided to the community, so I can't see the great loss in losing a patron who probably reads these books while she's using the bathroom.

Another reason I don't use the library anymore.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

If someone followed me into the ladie's loo and proceeded to yell at me through the door while I was on the throne, I'd come out of there and jack her up against a wall.

And I wouldn't wash my hands first.

[hotelnpa]

Geesh...there were no other employees for her to ask?

It seems like whenever I try to go on break, a guest will follow me outside or will ask me questions while I am sitting in the lounge. We do not have a break room so there not many places to go. Now when I go on break, I sit out in my car.

[Ill_Used_Heroine]

Why would the staff person have to apologize? A library is free. It's a service provided to the community, so I can't see the great loss in losing a patron who probably reads these books while she's using the bathroom.

Another reason I don't use the library anymore.

IMO, there was no need for an apology. To me, public libraries are not like private businesses ... patrons are not customers. Unfortunately, the bigwigs that make the decisions don't agree. They go on and on about Customer Service, and the customer this and the customer that. I'm sorry, but until the day comes that we are trading products/services for money, they will be known as patrons. The Circulation Staff here always goes above and beyond what is usually considered public service. They should never have to apologize for the patron's foolishness/stupidity/whatever. Not to me, anyway.

[Swordsman422]

I have similar trouble with trying to eat. We're understaffed so I can't actually take my legally provided half-hour for lunch or the store would grind to a halt, leaving the only other person there swamped. So I have to steal a quiet minute to run grab some lunch (preferably cold, as I won't have a choice by the time I get to eat it) and come straight back to eat at the store. Usually by the time I get back, there are three or four new cars in the parking lot. When those are gone, it will be dead until I try to eat my food. The moment I have my second mouthful, a half-dozen more customers will come in, and they are always wanting to talk to someone. It doesn't matter that I'm doing my best to finish my lunch so that I can help them, and one lady even flipped out when I continued to chew my food instead of spit it out when she had a question!

Usually I get a quippped or sarcastic "if you're going to eat, you should take your lunch break."

To which I generally reply "and then who'd be here to help you?"

[draftermatt]

I'd have calmly walked out of the stall with my pants still down, and asked what the hell is so important.

Then I would have attempted to pee on that person.

[Soulstealer]

I'd have calmly walked out of the stall with my pants still down, and asked what the hell is so important.

Then I would have attempted to pee on that person.

But this was the girls' bathroom most of us can't 'aim' ..... not without some practice.