It begins, in the begining.

[repsac]

I've been asked this several times, and well, I guess I ought get around to this. Too much GTA in my spare time now that I've got free time :P.

So, what started it all? WHY does she hate me? Couple reasons best I can figure. It all really starts when I worked as a manager at Moore's. I was what they call the JR. Asst. Manager. Now, rank wise, that doesn't mean jack. It just means that I hadn't attended the store manager training classes. I had all the managerial duties, though I had actually asked my manager to remove one from me. Firing. That wasn't something I felt ready to do yet. I wanted to finish training and get accustomed to the position before I tried that. Manager fully understood and we went from there.

Now that my background's out of the way, let me add a bit more to this story.

I never really met the churchlady in person at first. It wasn't something that I can honestly remember. I've met her...well associates. But beyond those few, it was some time before I met her in the flesh.

The first trouble started with a girl I'll call T. T attended churchlady's church and was one of those who felt hair should never be cut, and wore the LONG dresses all the time. 18 years old, and engaged; and still taking chaperones along on dates. Yeah, you know the type.

T Hated me. She made no bones about it. She made no effort to hide it either. T looked upon me with contempt in her eyes. WHY? Well, one of my hobbies is ghost stories. I love reading them, seeking them out, and for a time I was working with SGPI (South Georgia Paranormal Investigations) as a sensitive. (note, not medium or psyhic.) T had decided that all ghosts were demons, and because I loved a good scare or had a history of knowing things I really shouldn't, then I needed exorcised. Further, T felt that because she knew J, an older employee and an attendee of the same church, that she (T) didn't have to do what I said.

There was one incident, I'll not get into all the details of, but I think it's what was the original catalyst of everything.

Halloween, 2001. The store would give kids candy if they were in costume. Part of the Trick Or Treat Safe program. I asked (nicely) T to hand out candy and she refused. Ok. Not my problem. I turned to another girl A, and she did the honors. About halfway through our first batch, one of the mothers came over to me very angry. She was almost fit to be tied and her little girl looked on the verge of tears. The lady told me at length, how she had heard T saying aloud in their direction, that because the little girl (seven or eight) was celebrating halloween, they were worshiping the devil. Further, now the little girl and mother were going to HELL. I sent T home for the evening, to which she at first refused. Calling the manager, he agreed. T was suspended till sometime the next day when the manager would have a talk with her.

Fast forward a few Days.

I meet the Churchlady (part 1.). There's three other incidents I'll list, since they are the most memorable ones.

Churchlady comes into the store asking for me by name. (oh no.) She tromps over my way and starts yelling at me for suspending such a good christian girl as T. I inform the woman, that whatever T wanted to think was up to her. However, she was not at liberty to share her religious beliefs at work. If she couldn't keep it to herself, I'd send her home again. Chances are, M (manager) would fire her if it happened again. Churchlady glowerred at me and then stated that it's "not over". Later that day, I'm called into the DM's office to be informed that someone called and complained that I had suspended T because of her religious beliefs. (a huge no no). Furthermore, I had been rude to a customer and cussed the customer. Because of that, I was suspended for three days without pay.

After that, until I quit to attend tech school, I'd get a complaint every time she (churchlady) came in the store. After the second or third, the DM just made a cursory "She called again." statement to me. Corporate came down on me a few times, after she called them, but it never really got that bad. It would, later on...

[repsac]

Second Attack.

The second attack came shortly after I started college. I was attending a local tech school studying computer graphical editing and movie productions. At the time, there were maybe four other students taking the course.

I did not know at the time, and wish I had, that churchlady was taking classes there too.

Churchlady also had friends. One of them, Mrs. S (or just S) ended up being my english professor. Oh no...not again.

English for me was very difficult then. Coming into a basic class even though I had finished through english 103 in another college. (my credits didn't transfer) So, here you have someone that writes on a professional level, stuck in a beginner class. I was bored to say the least. BORED!

I noticed rather early on that I was having issues with S. Sometimes it seemed like she was cool with everything. Other times I caught flak. (I only found out about she and CL some time after leaving college.)

The hardest part for me, was the essay writing. S would nitpick everything. Take one example:

I wrote an essay on the dangers of railroad crossings and the statistics on how many people die each year. In this essay, I quoted one of my own earlier essays that had been published in Trains magazine in 2003. Because of the publication point, I had placed the quote in quotes and pointed to it in my bibliography. S seemed to take offense at this, and flatly accused me of plagarism infront of the class. Loudly accused me. Staring her down I said "Not only can I prove it, but you've just given me grounds to sue the college." Standing up I walked out and headed straight to the dean. I produced the old magazine, told him what S had said and demanded help. S left me alone, but beyond that nothing happened. Stupid professors...

Near the end of the year, we had to write a paper that was an argument. The idea was to argue a point that we may or may not have agreed upon. I chose the medicinal uses of marijuana. Ironically, another student had chosen to argue if marijuana was addictive or not. I really didn't know this at the time, but it did strike me as funny.

The paper ended up being almost twenty pages long, give or take. I turned it in a day early, and waited for my grade. My grade, was an F. The reason? It was morally wrong to write on such a subject. Further more if I was a good christian, I wouldn't have considered such a subject. B, the other student, was failed for the same reason. Again, I protested, but nothing happened. Leaving for the last time, Churchlady caught me in the hallway. "So." She said smugly. "Did S like your paper?" oh yes, I knew she was behind it. Heck, I suspected she was behind a great deal by then.

I didn't benefit her with an answer and just left. Six months later, I started working for Lowe's. I lasted a year before getting fired.

[repsac]

Lowe's and the last (or so I thought) installment of Churchlady.

Lowe's was a dream for me. When you got beyond the funky hours and incompetent management. I love hardware stores for some reason. Maybe it's the redneck in me. Whatever the case, I was in heaven there.

I managed some six months before I had a run in with Churchlady. This one came on a sunday as I returned from lumber. Having already clocked out, with my vest slung over my shoulder, I wandered my happy butt up in the direction of the front to leave. Halfway there, I hear someone ask for help. While not on the clock I look over and ask what they need. The man looks and asks for something in hardware, to which I say quote. "I'm off the clock, so I'm not allowed to help you. BUT I see the hardware manager just down the way there. I'm going that way, so sit tight I'll tell him where you are." As I say this, my nemesis in a dress turns the corner. Spotting me her face turns into this strange mask of anger and hatred. "SO You work here!?" she says, dripping with venom. "Nope, I don't work. I just hold down the floor and take the money. I'm a cashier." I say, gaining a small chuckle from another man down the ailse. Turning, I head up to the Hardware Manager, appraise him of the situation, and warn him.

My trouble started a few days later.

Churchlady makes a point to come through my line down in lumber. She wants X, Y, and Z types of lumber. "Ok." I say, and just stay at my register. "Why are you just standing there. Get my lumber!" she says loudly. "Can't ma'am." I say nicely. "I'm not allowed to leave the register, but you see those blue carts there? You just go load up what you need, bring it here and I'll check you out." she mutters something about poor service and tromps out. I call my head cashier to warn them, and then wait. Customer care line calls back and says I was rude to a customer...yeah, well, I kinda was. This lady and I have history (which I told my manager). Long story short I get written up for this, but the write up doesn't go on my record.

Churchlady strikes again a few weeks later. In one of those amazing twists of fate, I end up having a fourth of july off. Not only that, I've got the days on either side of it off. I'd won that in a raffle somehow, one I don't remember entering. No complaints from me there.

My girlfriend and I decide to head into the store to buy some things to fix up her house. She's moving back to japan to finish college and then she's coming back here. So, I needed to paint and do other things to get her house ready for her to move out. My girl being japanese is key here. Keep that in mind.

We head into the store and move to paint. GF wants to paint the walls a neutral color, but one with some tint to it. As we wait for the paint, we get a bit lovey dovey. Nothing too bad, just my hugging her from behind as we waited. After a moment, I had to go to the bathroom. When I return, I see my girl crying, sitting on one of the paint counters with the associates trying to comfort her. Manager is there and he doesn't look too happy. Going over, I find out that Churchlady had seen us together, and proceded to call girl all manner of names. All of them racist. All because of me. Manager had asked churchlady to leave, and she did, all the while saying she would complain because manager let "her kind" shop there.

We got a complaint, but even the customer care line shrugged it off. Girl got a fifty dollar gift card from corporate for the trouble of dealing with CL.

My last incident came a few days before I got fired. It involved something of an accident on my part. One that had me sent to the hospital.

This one I don't remember all of. I can only tell you what I've pieced together over the months and what I was told.

Fact: Churchlady caught me on the way back from the Baler.
Fact: She wanted a box of tile, but not just any tile. Something from the upper shelf.
Fact: I got a ladder and went to get it.

The rest of this, is just guessing.

Somehow, when I picked up the tile box, it started to shift. Churchlady may have yelled at me at this point; but I'm not totally sure. I was told that the box slipped from my hands, hit my foot (broke it) on the way down. The box then bounced off the high ladder and fell to the floor exploding in a million pieces. Naturally I bounced back. Either I missed a step, or missed the ladder entirely, but some how I came off it at a bad angle. The ladder shifted sideways, the brake came off (nearly impossible to do) and the ladder then rolled forward. I fell backward, hitting my head and concussing myself with enough force to knock me senseless. When I came to, one of our associates who was also a paramedic, was tending to me. Churchlady was no where to be seen. I went to the hospital, got treated for the concussion and broken foot; put on some GOOD meds and sent home.

A week later, I went on vacation. Near the end of it, I was called in on a day I had asked off. I refused.

They told me I was "Fired for gross insubordination." A, one of my friends who happened to be a manager later said to me that quote "They were looking for an excuse. That freaky lady kept complaining and it was easier to let you go than ban her."


So, there you go. It's HUGE and long. Hope this explains the whole series of what started the churchlady.

[Ree]

Holy crap!!!!

That woman is a nutcase stalker.

[Moirae]

I don't even know what to say. Well, I can say one thing. You should press charges against her for harassment. And, as she abandoned you after you ended up with a concussion instead of getting the manager, you should press charges for endangerment. You could have been dead and she left without telling anyone.

[CanadaGirl]

Holy crap at the religious fanatic. She needs to be locked away! She's litterally ruined your life and your chances at good employement. What the hell! This is just so annoying to me. She has her devil eyes glued on you it seems. Ever try getting a restraining order? Or maybe moving?

[Girly]

Two words: Restraining Order

[Argabarga]

This kind of stuff really pisses me off, companies that value a customers money over the headaches they cause employees, when they acknowledge that the customer is wrong, and a pain, but they're firing you because they want the money, that's just indescribably poor judgement

[EmiOfBrie]

What is her name and where does she live?


...I'm not kidding...


Someone like her deserves all the internet-based dissing I can come up with.
Maybe we could get her on SomethingAwful and let the goons have their way with her?

[XCashier]

I find out that Churchlady had seen us together, and proceded to call girl all manner of names. All of them racist. All because of me. Manager had asked churchlady to leave, and she did, all the while saying she would complain because manager let "her kind" shop there.

When I came to, one of our associates who was also a paramedic, was tending to me. Churchlady was no where to be seen.

This woman is not a true Christian. No matter how often she goes to church and how pious she acts, her actions belie her words. She is a racist, control freak, nutcase stalker (to quote Ree) who is using religion as her weapon of choice. Perhaps a restraining order or lawsuit against her would not be a bad move?

I am very sorry you had to deal with her, and Lowes was completely in the wrong to fire you in favor of keeping her as a customer.

[Ree]

Have read a few more comments and I need to make two points while this thread is still fairly civil and on topic:

• Do not turn this thread into a debate about Christianity, please.
  This woman is obviously not a role model for Christianity, but I have seen enough threads deteriorate into Christian bashing and discussions of hypocrisy that I do not wish to see that happen again. Confine your points to the discussion of this woman's behaviour.

• Our policy against acts of revenge would include not using this thread to incite revenge against this woman. We do not need this site being blamed or becoming a factor in whatever may transpire between repsac and this woman in the future.

Thanks.

[NightAngel]

Wow. Just... wow. That's pure, uncut crazy.

[AFpheonix]

Lessee....Nutbucket is at the bottom of the ladder, and the brake, which rarely fails, manages to do just that when someone she hates is at the top of said ladder?

Yeah. Coincidence, my ass.

Someone needs to get some happy pills and get locked away.

[MystyGlyttyr]

Normally, I know full damn well that I can handle any old lady who wants to take a punch at me. And the stories about the storefront and all made it so this woman seemed irritating and harmful, but not really dangerous.

But man, after hearing all this, this chick is at LEAST unbalanced, and probably VERY dangerous and, in my estimation, fully capable of murder. I would almost wager undiagnosed schizo, or at least manic, with paranoia and a touch of a messiah complex. And you'd be surprised how strong someone can be when they're really THAT nuts. Ever wrestled a cocaine freak? It's like that.

Man, I would do something about this chick sooner rather than later. Restraining orders aren't worth the paper they're printed on, but it's at least a start. The circumstantial evidence alone points to her being a threat to you and probably anyone else around you...or her.

[Customer Beating Robot]

Okay a few things. When it came to the professor who gave you an F for religious reasons, you had every right to contact the ACLU and sue the professor and college. They can not grade you on religious reasons. That is a violation of your freedom of religion.

When it came to Lowe's, they were right. It was easier to get rid of you. Again, you probably could have turned them in, seeing as how they fired you for not coming in on your vacation. Especially so soon after an accident.

From all of the stories you have told, it just seems to me that you are a push over. You are a "nice guy." This is what happens to nice guys. I stopped being one a while back. Life has gotten much better for me since. I would have filed just as many complaints with my manager concerning the churchlady as she filed against me. This would have forced them to act. They could not ignore a hostile customer harrassing one of their employees. At the same time, I would have gotten a restraining order against her. Just let Lowe's fire you for having a restraining order against a customer. It would be horrible publicity and you would have gotten some money out of it. As it was, all the complaints were coming from one side. The body of evidence was not in your favor. You had made no complaints to balance out the scales.

I don't know you very well, and I don't want to seem harsh. But what the college and Lowe's did to you was outrageous. I can sort of understand Lowe's position. They saw that you were willing to take the lady's abuse and didn't stand up for yourself. What else could they do? They can't ban the customer since you aren't complaining. They can't stand up to the customer for you. This is not an employee/customer dispute. This is a person/person dispute. That lady is going to harrass you the rest of your life if you don't do something about it. I would run out and get a restraining order right this moment. That way, when she starts harrassing you at your next job, you can show your employer the restraining order and have her arrested. Until you do that, stuff like this will keep happening.