Shiny Happy SCs

[XCashier]

First customer of the day is this Super Perky Cheerleader-type with her little daughter and four bolts of fleece. I go up to the cutting counter and ask politely, "How may I help you?"

SC (very perky and chipper): Well, aren't you the Gloomy Gus, [my name]!
ME:
SC: I only need a little of this, but I'm not a sewer. How big is a quarter yard?
ME: That's nine inches.
SC (as if I'm the idiot): Well, I don't know how big nine inches is! Show me!

I measured out nine inches and showed her how much she'd get. I'm about to start cutting when I notice that her little daughter is standing right up to the cutting counter, looking straight down the cutting guide, her hand resting over the end of the cutting guide, an inch away from the end of the fabric.

ME (to the daughter): I need you to move away from there, please, I'm going to be cutting there.

The child moved her hand but stayed right there, her face about two inches away from the end of the cutting guide. She does not understand, and apparently Mummy doesn't either. I try again.

ME: I need you to move back please, these scissors are sharp. (I hold up my scissors to show how sharp and pointy they are.)
SC: You are just so mean, [my name], we won't be coming here again! Not like your coworker, who was so nice and helpful.

She beamed at my coworker, who looked rather confused by the whole thing. Well, frankly, I'm a bit confused too. What part of "sharp pointy thing going straight at child's face = very bad" is she not understanding?! If my scissors slipped, something horrible would've happened to that child, and I don't need that on my conscience. Every mother I've served understood and immediately move their kids away, but not this one. Oh no, I'm not looking out for her child's safety at all, I'm telling her to move away because I'm a Big Meany-Head, out to spoil her child's fun! And while I cut the rest of her fabric, she kept chivvying her child away and treating me like I was a monster.

The thing that got me was the customer's attitude. If you've ever seen Addams Family Values, the chipper, hyper-happy camp counselor is very similar to this customer, or possibly a mix of Pollyanna and Dolores Umbridge, with a bit of Helen A thrown in. Oh so perky, oh so chipper, and anybody who was less perky than she was obviously a Horrible Mean Ogre out to destroy all goodness in the world.

I was not in any way mean or rude to them. Okay, I am not a Perky Chipper Happy Sunflower. I am not the Evil Scowl Monster either. I'm somewhere in between, where most people are. So apparently in this SC's Shiny Happy World, not being perky and chipper = gloomy and rude and mean. Okaayy, time to switch to decaf, methinks.

[Sandiercy]

Mind officially went to the gutter after only reading the first bit.

[Whirly_bird]

From the title, i imagined you cursing her out in Chinese.

[Food Lady]

I got sick of this so now I have had to become alarmingly chipper. I'm exhausted after work.

[Carsomyr]

I was not in any way mean or rude to them. Okay, I am not a Perky Chipper Happy Sunflower. I am not the Evil Scowl Monster either. I'm somewhere in between, where most people are. So apparently in this SC's Shiny Happy World, not being perky and chipper = gloomy and rude and mean. Okaayy, time to switch to decaf, methinks.

I hate those people, I really do. All I want to do is grin the cheesiest grin I can manage while punching them in the face. I've yet to meet anyone who enjoys being told they're gloomy, so the only possible conclusion is that these people actually feel better about themselves by putting others down.

Although if you need a break just raise your eyebrows a little and apparantly that's the only difference they need. Yeah, that's right, it's all about your eyebrows.

[Freak]

SC: I only need a little of this, but I'm not a sewer.

Yes you are. Oh wait, different pronunciation.

[XCashier]

I got sick of this so now I have had to become alarmingly chipper. I'm exhausted after work.

Kind of like Barbie at the end of Toy Story 2?

I hate those people, I really do. All I want to do is grin the cheesiest grin I can manage while punching them in the face. I've yet to meet anyone who enjoys being told they're gloomy, so the only possible conclusion is that these people actually feel better about themselves by putting others down.

Oh, no doubt. And they do it in a chipper, perky little voice with a cutesy smile on their faces so no matter what you do, you're the villain of the piece.

[PepperElf]

Maybe except that Barbie wasn't using her perky demeanor to be a bitch iirc. And it sounds like the SC was over-the-top fake friendly ... the kind of person who seems to be happy and cheerful, and then turns out to have a giant princess-of-the-universe attitude

[depechemodefan]

but I'm not a sewer.

Yeah, that took me a while to figure that out. If she is not a sewer, I wonder what she is planning to do with the fleece.

[Mytical]

Yeah, that took me a while to figure that out. If she is not a sewer, I wonder what she is planning to do with the fleece.

Do you want to know? Do you really want to know?

[wolfie]

SC: I only need a little of this, but I'm not a sewer. How big is a quarter yard?
ME: That's nine inches.
SC (as if I'm the idiot): Well, I don't know how big nine inches is! Show me!

Why can you never find a flasher when you need one?

[tropicsgoddess]

Sorry lady, but this is my kinda chipper.... Have a nice day!

[Merriweather]

I never could understand the customers (or managers & corporate bigwigs) who want chirpy, smiley, happy faced gnomes all ove rthe place. Ok, fine, if you're working at mouse-world or some other theme park, they don't call their employees "cast members" for nothing, even the retail workers are expected to be part of some big magical experience.

But retail workers? It's a business transaction, people. Nothing more, nothing less. You give them your money, they give you what you pay for. Sure, all business transactions should be conducted with dignity, respect and courtesy (on BOTH sides), but smiling & dancing about like a dang muppet isn't part of the equation.

[raudf]

I've been accused of not being chipper enough. I just deadpanned my expression and lifted a single brow. Then inversely, if I'm actually happy and chipper, I get accused of being "too damn cheerful." Often by the same person!

I think some people just like being bitchy and not the kind I claim to be!

[Zellie Crescent]

Being that overly cheerful isn't normal, any chance she was on something?