Why would you do that?

[Imogene]

Got into the store Sunday evening, and hung out in the backroom, to be out of the way, and not wanting to tread the treacherous mall hallways... About ten minutes before my shift, one of the MoDs comes into the back, laughing her head off.
MoD: yeah
Me: Me.

MoD: "Some lady just pulled down half our toy wall."
Me: "What?"
MoD: "She was climbing up the wall to get at the toys on the higher shelves, and pulled down half the wall."
Me: "A kid?"
MoD: "No, an adult."
Me: "So, now we need to restock that wall?"
MoD: "oh... *face falls*"
Yeah, that's me, the realist.

A story I shared with another stocker.
Me
R: other back room stock guy

R: "So, I was at another mall today, just in time to see some kid puke all over Santa's lap."
Me: "Poor Santa... I was at the Santa Village in our mall earlier, and..."
R: *cuts me off* "And Santa's really creepy?"
Me: "No, I didn't even notice Santa, I only noticed his helpers, and how long the line was. The helper at the end was the epitome of white trash... wearing her elf outfit, and a white A top, with her bra showing from under that as well."
R: "Oh man, you're right, that's white trash!"

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

Without giving an exact number, let me say I am a fair bit shorter than the average adult male. I am not above stepping up on a bottom shelf to get at something higher.

BUT

I always look at the set up first and if I don't think the set up can hold my weight or it looks like it will be more than a simple step up, I ask for help.

Yes it humbles me, yes it frustrates me having to ask for help to reach items most people can grab easily, but if I can't do it safely, I'm going to find someone who can.

Unfortunately other vertically challenged folk (and certain SCs in general) are pretty stubborn about this kind of thing and feel they have a right to climb up and over everything without asking for help.

My faith in humanity has been restored slightly because the last two customers I have seen knock over shelves at my store have - GASP! - picked them up! I had to restraighten the merchandise but at least the customers were courteous enough to not leave everything in a heap on the floor.

[gerund]

Yes it humbles me, yes it frustrates me having to ask for help to reach items most people can grab easily, but if I can't do it safely, I'm going to find someone who can.

Unfortunately other vertically challenged folk (and certain SCs in general) are pretty stubborn about this kind of thing and feel they have a right to climb up and over everything without asking for help.

I feel your pain, but I will never be in that situation. There are advantages and disadvantages to every situation - I am taller than the average man and while normal people think that is wonderful, there are just as many disadvantages - first of all, I can never get many nice clothes. All the clothes I buy I have to try on first and then they cost more (more material for a start) Then we have the situation with the compression stockings I have to wear. I can't use off the shelf ones for $90 pair, I have to buy special made ones for $340.

Then we come to the people who are scared of me. I went to a shopping center in suburban Singapore with my friend. While he was trying to buy some Christmas decorations, I went wandering around the square. I came up behind the lady who was serving him. She went into a screaming attack when she saw me, ran up the back of the shop and stood there screaming and yelling and crying. I felt terrible. I don't want to make people cry.

Then it gets worse.

Idiot: Hey you! What's your name?
Me: Gerund (not my real name)
Idiot: That's a c--t of a name. You're a big bastard, I'll bet you pack a punch.
Me: Turns and walks away. (I want the ground to open and swallow me up)

Yes, it's good to be able to reach the top shelf. It would be nicer if I was "normal"

So when I say, "I feel your pain" I have one more thing to say before I finish this threadjack...

I have come to accept who I am. I know I will never be "normal" so I try to like the advantages and ignore the disadvantages. And every now and then someone will say something that sets off a rant.

So I rant.

Then I say "I'm over it now".

I'm over it now.

[Imogene]

I am taller than the average man and while normal people think that is wonderful, there are just as many disadvantages

I'm in that boat, too, at 6'5", all the world is looking to beat me on the head. And hopes I can reach that one thing just beyond their grasp.
Had to give one of my coworkers a huge dose of reality today... after I grabbed something off a shelf for a customer, coworker started thanking me profusely, and presumed I love being tall.
"Er, no, I'd rather be short, thanks. In a world built for people who average 5'6", being 6'5" is a curse. I hit my head on everything, I reflexively duck through doorways, I have to buy clothes from a specialty store... HAVE TO..."
She went, "Oh..." and left for the day.

[Icelator]

I'm in that boat, too, at 6'5", all the world is looking to beat me on the head. And hopes I can reach that one thing just beyond their grasp.
Had to give one of my coworkers a huge dose of reality today... after I grabbed something off a shelf for a customer, coworker started thanking me profusely, and presumed I love being tall.
"Er, no, I'd rather be short, thanks. In a world built for people who average 5'6", being 6'5" is a curse. I hit my head on everything, I reflexively duck through doorways, I have to buy clothes from a specialty store... HAVE TO..."
She went, "Oh..." and left for the day.

I'm 6'1" with size 14 shoes, I can't find a pair of winter boots to save my life, I have to spend all winter in sneakers. and I LIVE IN CANADA.

[Buglady]

Icelator, what province are you in? My boyfriend's dad wears 14s (I know this because he asked for socks for Christmas!) - anyway, I can ask him where he got his Sorels.

[RetailWorkhorse]

Then we come to the people who are scared of me.

If you're nice to me, I won't be scared of you.

(This Poster stopped growing at 11 years old at 4 foot and 11 inches tall).

[gerund]

If you're nice to me, I won't be scared of you.

(This Poster stopped growing at 11 years old at 4 foot and 11 inches tall).

I'm nice to almost everyone. I am especially nice to people who are nice to me and those who say "Please" and "Thank you" and those who are not nasty to my friends too. It's really easy to do, and it makes me feel good and then you feel good too.

[gerund]

I'm in that boat, too, at 6'5", ... I hit my head on everything, I reflexively duck through doorways, I have to buy clothes from a specialty store... HAVE TO..."
She went, "Oh..." and left for the day.

When I was 16 years old and had just reached my final height of 6' 4" - one day I was under the tank stand that is about 6' off the ground. I knew it was shorter than me, but the grim reality of that had not sunk in.

This tank stand was on concrete posts with very large hardwood crossbeams holding the tank up. The tank was filled with water and was very heavy. Lets put it this way - no matter how hard I hit those crossbeams with my head, there was no way it was going to move. My head, on the other hand was quite a bit softer than the beam.

My mother would not let me in the house afterward, for two reasons. The first was that I would have bled all over her clean floors. The second was that she could not stand the sight of my blood mixed in my red hair. I was well out of it. I would have been happy sitting or lying anywhere, just as long as I didn't have to move my head.

I was lucky - there was no permanent damage - and this episode made me realise that I could not just run and jump like I had been when I was 5' 0" (only 18 months before).

Now it's almost like a spidy sense - I can feel something near my head and I duck. Sometimes I am in time to miss the obstacle and sometimes I am not.

[Chromatix]

I'm lucky then. At 5'8" (in shoes), I'm almost perfectly average.

I'm small and skinny enough to squeeze into small spaces when necessary - though no doubt there are people who could do so more easily - yet tall enough to reach most things without much difficulty (unless they're actually attached to the ceiling). An excellent compromise, IMHO.

I'm even told that if it weren't for my eyesight (excellent except for the myopia that requires correction), I'd be an ideal Air Force candidate, physically speaking. Of course I probably wouldn't be able to adjust to the military lifestyle.

Here's the trick though. In school, I was generally the shortest within my age group - and shorter than many of the meaner boys in the year below. Everywhere I go, I find more men taller than me than shorter. (There are plenty of shorter women, of course.) So how come I'm supposedly "average"?

[rts]

I feel your pain, but I will never be in that situation. There are advantages and disadvantages to every situation - I am taller than the average man and while normal people think that is wonderful, there are just as many disadvantages - first of all, I can never get many nice clothes. All the clothes I buy I have to try on first and then they cost more (more material for a start) Then we have the situation with the compression stockings I have to wear. I can't use off the shelf ones for $90 pair, I have to buy special made ones for $340.

Same boat here. Average height, but I have lymphadema and have to wear the stockings!!!

[Geek King]

I'm 6'1" with size 14 shoes, I can't find a pair of winter boots to save my life, I have to spend all winter in sneakers. and I LIVE IN CANADA.

Ice, I'm 6'-4" to 5" with size 16 shoes (and flat feet. darn you genetics!). You can get boots online in most places, try Redwing, or some of the outdoors stores. I think my last set of work boots actually came from JC Penny's website and work fine for snow and ice. I don't get a lot of selection, but they can be found.

[Balgram]

Here's the trick though. In school, I was generally the shortest within my age group - and shorter than many of the meaner boys in the year below. Everywhere I go, I find more men taller than me than shorter. (There are plenty of shorter women, of course.) So how come I'm supposedly "average"?

Because short men don't stand out.

Hee hee. Sorry, that was callous of me and unintended towards anyone uncomfortable with their height.

I'm average, but I have a friend who is really tall. It bugs her all the time. I can't see why people don't just accept the height they are, but I'm average, so I guess I am not allowed to understand. Shrug.

By the way, regarding the first thread? Why on EARTH was the lady climbing "all over" the display?! I could understand her leaning on the bottom shelf to get up there, even if I totally disagree, but if you have to use the display like a ladder it's time to call an employee.

They have ladders.

[Imogene]

They have ladders.

Yes, yes we do... and we wouldn't need more than the step stool.

I can only guess at the lady's decision to go abseiling... oh, man, those toy guns/play sets must've looked particularly rare... of course, there were tons of them at eye level as it was...

[Gabrielle Proctor]

Tall people(MEN! I'm not a lesbian) are hot.