Who does this? Really?

[elysia]

I've seen my share of SCs of all breeds but this one blew my mind. Really, who does this?

I work for a retail shipping center. This is what happened to me the day before yesterday. Its fifteen minutes after closing. The lights are OFF. The registers are closed. I have not locked the door or left because the driver was late and he was still loading packages.

Thoughts in italics.

**door dings**
SC: "Hi, are you still open?"
Me: Fuck. "No, I'm sorry, we closed at six."
SC: "Oh, shit, what time is it?"
Me: "Six fifteen." He doesnt see that the lights are off.
SC: "Ah.... cuz I reeeeeaallllly have to get this out today... my brother needs it by tomorrow."
Me: "Yes, but our overnight pick-up comes at 4 o'clock, so we wouldnt be able to get it out until tomorrow either way."
SC: "But your driver is still here."
ME: "He is only here for ground shipments. Overnight shipments have to go out earlier in the day."
SC: "No, no, no, no..... this is really important! You don't understand! He needs this tomorrow! Oh, shit!"

Stupid me, even though I'm mildly annoyed at this point I begin to feel bad. The papers he's holding do look important, so I indulge in what was to become some good old fashioned self-pwnage:

Me: "Um, well, hang on. What state is it going to? US west coast shipments can be late and still make it the next day, we don't tell people that becuase its usually a pain. Also, the registers are off but if you have cash or a check I can ring it up tomorrow."
SC: "Its going to Hawaii."
Me: "Ok, we can still get that out today since its technically west coast. But the registers are already off, so you have to fill out this handwritten shipping label."
SC: "Oh, awesome! Wait, how much will it cost?"

Since our pos was already shut down, I had to look up the price on the company website online. I told him, and he freaked out.

SC: "Its just a letter! It CANT cost that much! Are you sure of the price?"
Me: "Yes. Its to be overnighted to Hawaii. Unfortunatly, thats expensive."
SC: "Oh my god. Hang on, I gotta call my brother, I don't know if he's gonna wanna spend that much."

The SC then proceeds to go outside and talk to his brother from his cell phone for TEN MINUTES. It is now 6:30. The driver is getting impatient and my head is about to explode.

Me: **poking my head out the door** "Excuse me. The driver needs to make his rounds, and I need to go home. We closed half an hour ago. Do you want to ship the letter?"
SC: "I guess, but thats a rip-off." *fills out the label* "And I won't even get a reciept."
Me: "If you come back tomorrow, I'll be able to give you one."
SC: "Ok, I'll be back tomorrow. I need to ship something else to him anyway."
Me: "Alright. We are open until 6 o'clock."

NO thank you, NO apology. He made me and the driver wait for almost a half an hour after closing for his bullshit and he wasnt even thankful. But THIS is the topper:

The next day, my co-worker was closing. The guy came back AGAIN at 10 mins after closing, and did the EXACT SAME THING to her. When at first she wouldnt let him send the overnight, he said, "well, the girl yesterday let me do it!" He stood around and argued with her even though she was saying no. He left and she thought he was gone, but didnt lock the door because the driver was still loading up. HE THEN BRINGS HIS GIRLFRIEND INTO THE STORE and argues with her some more, while the girlfriend stands there giving her dirty looks and being a whore.
Unfortunatly, in the end, she let him ship it. Oh, I wish I had been there. The one good thing about it was that my co-worker was a total bitch to him and told him to never come back.

Who does this. Really.

[the_std]

I'm sorry to say, but... They do it because you let them do it. By saying "yes" the first time, you've said "yes" for all the next times, too.

That's how SCs work.

[CorDarei]

in a word.. SCs

[elysia]

I realized this. Give a dog a bone, you know? But I thought that my annoyance was made very clear the first time he came in... and I did go out my way to mention again what time we closed. This person was just lacking any remote glimmer of common sense or courtesy.

[Apathy]

But I thought that my annoyance was made very clear the first time he came in...

That kind of thing doesn't register for SCs. They can only think of themselves, and other people are only a means to an end.

[MoonChild2007]

The next day, my co-worker was closing. The guy came back AGAIN at 10 mins after closing, and did the EXACT SAME THING to her. When at first she wouldnt let him send the overnight, he said, "well, the girl yesterday let me do it!" He stood around and argued with her even though she was saying no.

Which is why it is a good thing to say NO the first time.

[elysia]

Lesson learned, I suppose. This is the reason why people don't go out of their way for each other any more.

[depechemodefan]

Yeah, I feel for you. And he brings his girlfriend in to glare. What a retard. Let us know what happens tomorrow, because we know he will come back tonight. At maybe 6pm, because he's considerate like that.

To use the computers you have to fill out a form for either a library card or a computer use card. We are not suppose to just log you on with our personal cards or a card someone left behind or make up one "just in case" like when a person begs that we log them in, it will be quick, they just need a computer for 1 min. and they just can't spend the time to fill out the form. Note, a card is good for 2 hours a day.

Anyway, guess what happens. A co-worker, who rather not put up with a whiny customer just logs her in with his card or some other card. So her times runs out, he left and she wants me to log her in again. I tell her she has to log in with her library card or computer use card. Of course, the other guy just logged her in without her getting a card and "can't you just log me in? Is the other guy gone? Is he really gone?" Of course, she doesn't want to fill out a form, she just goes walking around looking at books. I think she was looking at a site about criminals, or survalince(sp) cameras.

Oh, one day I had to work by myself (well, there were Circ. staff) at a branch. We close at 6pm. Around 5:30 the Circ person tells me a certain patron will take her time to leave. Around 5:55 I see the patron get up, and get her stuff. At 6pm, of course there was another patron who just got there and just wanted to get her book on hold. Miss never leaves goes to the front desk and I ask her if I can help her. She said she is situating. And she is still situating 3 min. latter when I tell her we are closed (She was putting on her shades, wrapping a scraf around her neck when it's 90 degress outside) and of course she lets me have it, about how rude I was, how the other people are nice to her. Yeah, obviously they are so nice that they let her take her time to leave, and complain behind her back. I'm still telling her we have to leave, and she goes on about the people she knows, like city councilmembers. Ugh. Yeah, she was nasty.

[protege]

I'm sorry to say, but... They do it because you let them do it. By saying "yes" the first time, you've said "yes" for all the next times, too.

Sorry, but I have to agree there. You opened the door to it.

Reminds me of what my ex-coworker did once. He insisted I drop what I was doing to ship some "important" papers for him. As I was more concerned about what my *boss* was working on, his shipment was of lowest priority. I sent it when I got my work done. Coworker started busting my balls about how I didn't send it "quickly enough" and how he'd "get into trouble" if it didn't arrive promptly." Not just once, but multiple times. I don't take kindly to that, and got even. Imagine his surprise when it showed up second day, and at the *end* of the day. Yep, I'd sent it 3rd class, just to be a bastard

[wagegoth]

Hawaii? That's what fax machines and scanners are for.

[Brightglaive]

Hawaii? That's what fax machines and scanners are for.

Darn!! you said it before I did.

No this just brings the old hilarious adage to mind:

Give a man a fish and he will not be hungry for a day
Teach a man to fish and he will not go hungry for the rest of his life
light a man a fire and he will be warm for a day....





(p.s. there is one more line but I won't finish the final line. Someone might find it offensive. )

[tropicsgoddess]

Saying yes to an SC's demands is like opening a can of Pringles, once you pop they won't stop.

[elysia]

My mistake was I began to feel bad, regardless of the fact his shit is his own responsibility to deal with... i.e. mailing it on time. He seemed nice enough AT FIRST despite the fact he didn't seem to notice we were closed, and I was guilted into helping him. In essence, I mistook what was in fact an SCMajor for an SCMinor and consequently paid for it.

[Sorianna]

I'm sorry to say, but... They do it because you let them do it. By saying "yes" the first time, you've said "yes" for all the next times, too.

That's how SCs work.

Sure, SCs breed by instances like these, and this guy certainly was an SC, but that hardly means the OP did anything wrong by doing this jerk a favor. Elysia hardly knew this jerk was jerk when she (he?) started, and was doing him a kindness. It's hardly what's expected of an employee, it's above and beyond, which makes one both a valuable employee and an admirable person. The fact that the SC was just that was simply an unfortunate (and common) coincidence. Elysia did nothing wrong by saying "yes" once, the SC did something wrong by not listening.

[Peppergirl]

It WASN'T your fault, despite what some people are saying here.

You tried to do a nice thing and it came back and bit you on the ass, as attempting to do nice things for SC's will always do.

Not YOUR fault, HIS.

Now you'll know next time that you can't cut someone a break in a situation like this because 90 percent of the time, you'll live to regret it. It's unfortunate, but it's true.

There's a reason that old saying 'No good deed goes unpunished' is a considered a cliche'. It's because it's TRUE.

Sorry that happened to you.