I Don't Work Here

[TattooedMommie]

a little bg- there's this woman who used to come into the store where I work, and basically just irritate the piss out of everyone, ranting and raving, talking nonsense, a sympathy-hound, telling her tales of woe and injustice to anyone who'd make eye contact. Eventually we had a minor clash, she complained about me, my manager sided with me, and she hasnt been shopping with us much recently (amen!)
A couple of weeks ago, on my day off, I stopped at a (rival) grocery store a couple of towns over, to buy a couple things. I got in line, and sho'nuff, the crazy woman is in line ahead of me. And off she goes! Telling the poor cashier "This one here is piece of work! Cant believe how RUDE she is! She's the reason I dont shop at <my store> anymore!" She turns to me, "You hear that?? YOU! YOU are the reason I hate that town, I hate everyone in that town!"
I laughed and said "Well, I'm sure alot of people in that town hate you too"
"You cant say that to me! You are out of line!" and she actually started looking around for a manager to complain to!
I threw my hands up and said "I dont work here, whatta ya gonna do?"
She got all flustered and started slamming her groceries around. I really hate confrontation, so I was all shaky inside, but I just couldnt stop laughing, and I could NOT pass up the opportunity...I asked "Can you EVER go into a store and just make a purchase without running your mouth and making as ass of yourself, like you are doing right now? You are SERIOUSLY fucked up!"
I purchased my items and left the store, and she was still standing there at the end of the register, hassling the cashier about something. The woman behind me in line leaned over to me and said "I dont know what she's talking about, but i LIKE <my store>" LOL
When I went back to work the next day, I told my mgr about this and we both agreed that we wouldnt be surprised if she called our store to complain that I cussed her out in a different store, in a different town, on my day off...

[xxscooterxx]

I'm not a fan of confrontation either but sometimes people push and push and you finally just snap.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Some people are just idiots. XD I once had a woman come up to me when I was shopping in a store and bark, "Where's the milk?" Being in the throes of PMS at the time and perusing cake as a result, I snapped back, "I don't fucking know and I don't fucking care!" Woman stomps off to get a manager who nearly died of laughter as he told the woman that since I didn't work there, he couldn't do anything. XD

The really stupid thing was that my clothes didn't resemble a uniform in the slightest. I was wearing an Alice Cooper t-shirt, black jeans and motorbike boots.

[An Haddock]

There's a user here named Tolly who kept coming across the path of a crazy woman who just would not believe she didn't work in a certain grocery store.

http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=93889

I just can't believe there are so many nuts out there. What's the world coming to?

[Geek King]

I just can't believe there are so many nuts out there. What's the world coming to?

It's not that there is that much more crazy, it's just that technology allows us to share the stories to more people. Even as a little kid, when TRS-80s roamed the land, Dad would tell us about the nuts that would come into the fabric/carpet store he ran. I still remember him telling us about the man-hating woman who refused to be served by a male, but wouldn't leave despite the fact that it was only my father and uncle working that day!

[MoonCat]

I was wearing an Alice Cooper t-shirt, black jeans and motorbike boots.

"But you look like you work here!!"

[notalwaysright]

For the longest time we had to wear either khaki or black pants at work (now we can wear jeans *happy dance!*) and I happen to have a red raincoat. I made the mistake of going to Target, Never again!

Even with the jeans I still bring a regular shirt so I can take my work shirt with logo off. Last time I went to the grocery store in my work shirt the cashier very cheerfully said "Oh, that's my favorite store!" and I went off on a totally uncalled for mini rant about work. I had had a VERY bad day, but still wish I'd kept my big mouth shut.

[Lace Neil Singer]

"But you look like you work here!!"

Well, the shop I was in had a black uniform, but I think it was the "retail aura" which hangs around anyone who works in retail. SCs can sense it.

[Evannah]

I've been mistaken for an employee before when I was just browsing, but luckily they just said sorry and walked off. I'm waiting for the day that I get cursed at.

[kilroy220]

I've had some customers come through where I work and complain about the price...

[bbbr]

I had customers at the grocery store i used to work at ask me where stuff was for about a year after i had left. Depending on how much I liked em' when i was an employee determined whether or not they got "aisle 7ish?" (i never did learn the new store like the old one where i was accurate down to a foot and shelf position) or curt "don't know don't care not my problem" as an answer.

The curt answers got some swearing and promises to talk to my manager about my attitude... Which I found hilarious as you had to get past a several layers of security to get onto the shop floor to even attempt to find me and/or one of my seven managers.

[Seanette]

I've had some customers come through where I work and complain about the price...

I work in a thrift store and get that ALL. THE. FREAKING. TIME. Apparently, 10% of retail is exorbitant, even for goods in brand-new condition. Seriously, I can be ringing up very nice clothing WITH THE TAGS STILL ON and the SC is whining about "don't you have any discounts?" and "oh, you're always SO overpriced here" (while I'm wondering why you keep coming back to a place that runs less than other thrift stores in town if we're such robbers) and "can't I get the price lowered?", et cetera ad nauseam.

[Captain Trips]

I once had an old lady pissed at me for not pumping her gas. At a self-serve station. Ihad just ffinished pumping mine, when she looked at me and said, "Well? Aren't you going to pump MY gas?" I looked at her and said, "Lady, it's self-serve!" And got into my car and left.

[wolfie]

The really stupid thing was that my clothes didn't resemble a uniform in the slightest. I was wearing an Alice Cooper t-shirt, black jeans and motorbike boots.

Just be careful around California-bound trucks. Cookies for reference.

[Argabarga]

I got mistaken for an employee.... while gassing up an unmarked plain white van.... at a self-serve gas station... that doesn't HAVE employees beyond the cash register.... while wearing a button shirt, khakis and a vest that made me look like a tour guide who'd abandoned his group somewhere on campus and was now making a run for the border.


That said, my real problem is I apparently look generic enough, harmless enough, and sane enough that every major US city I've visited, I've been mistook for a local and asked for directions..... it's uncanny.

And that includes places where I'm not even the cultural/ethnic majority FOR the area.