Why are they so unobservant?

[Shironu-Akaineko]

This is what I looked like Halloween last year.

Usually customers avoid talking to me cuz I look so inexperienced (my 4th year in the bakery) and also, they will ask "Do you work here?" when I'm wearing my all bright red uniform with the store logo embroidered every inch of my body.

I was in CHARACTER at all times mind you, except to answer questions. So I was moaning and shuffling, a stiff leg, eyes rolled back, etc.

Not only did my boss NOT fire me, but nobody asked me if I worked there, instead asking me all the store related questions under the sun!

Go figure!!!!!

[OfficeSlug]

I once was on my way in to work, wearing a coat and scarf, carrying my purse and lunch bag, and I think an umbrella, and I decided to cut down a side aisle and avoid the main drag. I happened upon a woman sitting on the floor in the parenting books, and she looked up at me and said "Do you work here?"

I said "no" and kept walking.

Few years ago when I worked at Target, I said "No, I don't work here" to a couple - it was a 1/2 hour before my shift, I was in a black hoodie, and I had my own shopping to take care of.

1/2 hour later, I was in my red shirt and they saw me, whispering to each other... THEY WENT UP FRONT AND TOLD THE CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER ON ME!! I got a talking-to about telling customers that I didn't work there...

Can't people just give us our *bleep*ing space?!

[Geek King]

Few years ago when I worked at Target, I said "No, I don't work here" to a couple - it was a 1/2 hour before my shift, I was in a black hoodie, and I had my own shopping to take care of.

1/2 hour later, I was in my red shirt and they saw me, whispering to each other... THEY WENT UP FRONT AND TOLD THE CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER ON ME!! I got a talking-to about telling customers that I didn't work there...

See, you need to have fun with situations like this. When the manager asked if you told them you didn't work there, you should have said, "No, I just got here. Why?" Works every time, assuming the manager didn't see you talking to them. I've done it before (only when off-the-clock, never actually working), and had the manager thinking there was another guy out there who looked like Richard Moll and Drew Carey had been gene-spliced.

PS--It really helps if you lie well. I do. I seem to have one of those faces that could convince you the Pope just got married to a Southern Baptist in a mosque. That's why I tend not to lie: Its too easy. I must use my powers for good, and the occasional amusement of friends.

It does make it easier to mess with the heads of my RPG group, though. They never know if the NPCs are playing straight with them. Sense Motive is a very popular skill in my games.

[Jack T. Chance]

This reminds me...

This reminds me of the "good ol' days" when CS was still under the ownership of Mr. Slugger. Back in those days, the official CS online store sold shirts with the Customers Suck! logo and the following phrase printed on them:

NO!
I DON'T
WORK
HERE!

I still remember the hilarious tales told by our friends in the grocery store industry, some of whom had purchased that shirt, and would wear it under their uniform shirt! As soon as quitting time rolled around, they'd take off the uniform shirt, revealing their CS T-shirt, which they would proudly wear around the store as they did their own grocery shopping, and woe unto any Sucky Customer that came up to them looking for help!

I always wanted one of those shirts... wish they were still available.

[Lady Legira]

This just happened to me today! I mean I have the company name plastered across my baseball cap in large friendly letters and several other things like a bowtie (that tries to fall off every 5 mins) that have the logo on! I'm am not wearing these things for fun.

[worddork]

Truthfully, I think SC believe they are the center of the world, ergo everyone else in the store is there to assist them, whether they work there or not.

[GingerBiscuit]

A great 'do you work here?'
I am sat down, delving into the shelves, pulling stuff off, cleaning shelf, putting stuff back.

Halfway in a shelf I hear 'OH... Do...Do you work here?'

[OfficeSlug]

It does make it easier to mess with the heads of my RPG group, though. They never know if the NPCs are playing straight with them. Sense Motive is a very popular skill in my games.

So you're one of THOSE GMs who takes glee in plotting TPK (total party kill) and smirking the whole while!!

Your NPCs have high ranks in Bluff, eh?

[Rapscallion]

When I get off my bum and get some time, I'll have the Cafepress store up and running.

Rapscallion

[matty]

When I worked for a supermarket chain, the uniform was a store tie and badge over a plain white shirt and plain black trousers. Straight after work, I would usually take off the tie and badge. To get home after work, I had to catch a train on one line, then change to another line. Because I had to wait for the second train, I went to the supermarket (which was the same chain) just above the station to buy a few things.

I had someone ask "Do you work here?"

I said "No."

He said "Yes you do."

So I replied (with a bit of a sigh) "X suburb store".

Also, the product he was after was in a completely different section to the one I worked in anyway. Thankfully, once he found this out, he was actually good about it and said "Well I won't make you work since you're not on the clock - take care".

[Geek King]

So you're one of THOSE GMs who takes glee in plotting TPK (total party kill) and smirking the whole while!!

Your NPCs have high ranks in Bluff, eh?

</threadjack>

Oh no, killing is too quick. One lovely storyline I have running goes like this:

The setting is sort of high-tech D&D in space. I have cribbed the Mithran race from FFXI, and threw in the fact that the male Mithra are actually so rare that they are protected and not allowed out. Instead, they are kept in luxury, to pursue the arts and education in between um...conjugal visits granted as rewards for notable Mithran heroes (borrowed this from Sliders). There is a great war going on, as the Orks and their allies are invading the "good" races planets for resources.

One player is actually playing a male mithra who was injured during an Ork assault, resulting in his tail being amputated. He is aided in his deception by another player RPing the guy who pulled him out of the rubble and an NPC doc who falsified his medical history to make him appear human, and hide his ears under a false prosthetic rig (look like metal bunny ears). These are the only people who know he is playing a "free" male mithra instead of a human with his ears amputated..

There is also another player whose character (human female) was injured in the same attack, and has near-total amnesia. That character has been told that the male mithra is really her brother, aiding in the deception.

Another player is actually playing a more traditional female mithra who has had relations with the male mithra, thinking he is human. Another player's character has familial political connections within the human empire.

The fun comes from the fact that if the deception is revealed, the currently allied Mithra could go to war if the "rogue male" is not returned immediately. Also, I just recently had an NPC recognize the amnesiac as someone he might have known, confusing the player greatly. Questions are being asked.

So now I have a player on his toes because he might cause a rift between the allied races fighting against the Orkish invasion or face being sent back to a golden life of slavery. Suspense can be worse that death.