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He may have been referring to my face, but still.... So, as some of you know I suffered another concussion via my last car accident a few weeks ago. I've been suffering post-concussive syndrome the last week because I went back to the front end, which exacerbates it because we are doing so much scanning and it is so busy due to Back to School. I've been dizzy and barely able to balance at times, and the excess noise of a hugely busy front end doesn't help. I was considering going on leave of absence. And yet, no customer complaints, even though I've been somewhat subdued.
Well, today is much better. I am still tired and prone to slight headaches, but the dizziness is largely gone. (Thank you to friends who pray for me!) I have been happy today because of that, and much more energetic. And yes, because it's Sunday, there have been moments of irritation at the customers' complaining. But those are momentary; my overall mood has been good and I've had a rewarding day of fixing things for appreciative customers. I have smiled today at times--that's new as of late.
So at one point it had slowed down and I was clearing the front end of errant carts. I was facing the mall door and a man came up from behind and to my right and said "Hey!," which of course startled me. I was engrossed in trying to hear what Service Desk Girl was saying about a problem; I'm nosy, I admit. So I was lost in thought over that, and this guy who wasn't even looking at my face then said "Don't worry; it will be all right." Um, what will be alright? What are you assuming? I haven't had any prior interaction with you. ?? So I simply answered, "Okaay" because..what else do you say to that? Then he did it: he told me to smile, he who had been looking at the back of my head just a few seconds ago. And of course he hurried off so that I couldn't respond. I know some people will say "He was just trying to brighten your day," but doing that as a drive-by says condescension to me, not to mention that women just do not do this to me, a female. It's always men. Sexism, I think. Why do people insist on telling service people how to feel?
ETA: So there was a complaint on the surveys that one of the cashiers was rude sometime after 7:00pm. Now, there were only a couple of us. Friday was BAD for me; it was so busy and I was so dizzy and uncoordinated. I wanted to go home, but they'd already said no to someone else because we were short-staffed. I was just not going to ask, so I did the best I could with a brain injury. I just *know* the comment was about me because some people were looking at me weird. I was not the bubbly person I usually am at work, but I was not rude to anyone, just subdued. It was all I could do to stand up straight and scan massive amounts of school supplies. I just couldn't process that and whatever mundane conversation I was supposed to be having with customers. I should've called in, but that's just not an option because of staffing and my need for money.
Well, today is much better. I am still tired and prone to slight headaches, but the dizziness is largely gone. (Thank you to friends who pray for me!) I have been happy today because of that, and much more energetic. And yes, because it's Sunday, there have been moments of irritation at the customers' complaining. But those are momentary; my overall mood has been good and I've had a rewarding day of fixing things for appreciative customers. I have smiled today at times--that's new as of late.
So at one point it had slowed down and I was clearing the front end of errant carts. I was facing the mall door and a man came up from behind and to my right and said "Hey!," which of course startled me. I was engrossed in trying to hear what Service Desk Girl was saying about a problem; I'm nosy, I admit. So I was lost in thought over that, and this guy who wasn't even looking at my face then said "Don't worry; it will be all right." Um, what will be alright? What are you assuming? I haven't had any prior interaction with you. ?? So I simply answered, "Okaay" because..what else do you say to that? Then he did it: he told me to smile, he who had been looking at the back of my head just a few seconds ago. And of course he hurried off so that I couldn't respond. I know some people will say "He was just trying to brighten your day," but doing that as a drive-by says condescension to me, not to mention that women just do not do this to me, a female. It's always men. Sexism, I think. Why do people insist on telling service people how to feel?
ETA: So there was a complaint on the surveys that one of the cashiers was rude sometime after 7:00pm. Now, there were only a couple of us. Friday was BAD for me; it was so busy and I was so dizzy and uncoordinated. I wanted to go home, but they'd already said no to someone else because we were short-staffed. I was just not going to ask, so I did the best I could with a brain injury. I just *know* the comment was about me because some people were looking at me weird. I was not the bubbly person I usually am at work, but I was not rude to anyone, just subdued. It was all I could do to stand up straight and scan massive amounts of school supplies. I just couldn't process that and whatever mundane conversation I was supposed to be having with customers. I should've called in, but that's just not an option because of staffing and my need for money.
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