Must remember not to wear blue at Walmart

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

So today is the day I decide to finally get over my reservations and buy an iPod.

Never really wanted one as I'm tied to using iTunes (which is twitchy under Windows 7) if I want to use all the features of the iPod, and I can't replace the battery when it starts to no longer hold a charge.

But! As almost everything these days comes with an iPod hook-up, it was time to swallow my pride and get one.

I must say that the 5th generation Nano is a sweet MP3 player however and it is kinda nifty.

So off to Walmart I go. First off I go to the camera department and purchase a new digital camera (old one is only 4mp and has seen better days). Get a nice one and after playing with it, I am really happy with it.

Since you have to pay for those in the photo department, I paid and walked over to the electronics section to buy an iPod.

Well no one was there. After standing there from the time Lightning McQueen got his new tires at Luigi's till Mack was complaining that they just keep using the same actor over and over and wondering what kind of cut-rate production Pixar is (Cars was playing on the LCD Display), Finally someone noticed me. It was someone from another department, but she had heard that all electronics personnel was to report for a meeting. She offered to see if someone could come out and help me.

No one did, but that's neither here nor there for this story.

So I'm waiting for a while and someone comes up to me and starts complaining that I've been standing in front of the iPod case for the entire time he's been waiting for someone to help him.

I inform him that I didn't work there and was waiting to be helped myself. He would hear none of that. He kept ranting and raving to me how I should "Get off of my [fornicating] [tuchas] and help him right now.

Well at this point I still hadn't seen anyone with a Walmart badge in the area and since it didn't look like they had my iPod in stock (I was hoping to see if any more had come in, or when they were expecting any more to come in) coupled with the fact that I was not inclined to listen to any more of this person's verbal abuse...I decided to leave and try Target.

"Don't you turn your mother [fornicate]ing back on me! I'll get your boss on you."

<sigh> It's one of those days isn't it?

Not feeling very polite but at the same time not feeling like dealing with him and the fact that this person was unwilling to read my name badge that proclaimed that I worked not at Walmart, but at the local county hospital...I did the only thing I could think of. I flipped him the bird as I was walking out.

Luckily for me, he was too apoplectic to come after me or to chase me with anything stronger than the "more colorful metaphors" that our modern American English is often peppered with.

So by now you might be thinking, "Gee! Isn't this more of a sighting?" Well it would be if the story ends there. Sadly it doesn't.

Fast forward 16 hours and I've purchased my iPod and a couple of Wii games I've had my eye on, had a lovely sleep (the hazards of working nights), had dinner, played with the camera, the iPod, and the two games (in that order) and went to work.

It was at work here at the hospital that round two came about.

It would seem that this person was in Walmart looking for a PSP for his daughter who was a patient here and would be here for a while. Beyond that I am unable to elaborate due to HIPAA regulations.

But I am spotted and recognized and the berating continues. I'm even given threats that the person I'm here to see will hear of my refusal to help him buy something for this daughter.

At this point I'm so mad that were I not on my job and in a place where I could speak my mind and give him both barrels of my frustration and loathing for this person. Sadly being on my employment turf, I have to be more 'careful' about what I say.

"Sir, I didn't help you at Walmart because I do not work there, I work *here*. See this name badge? It says the name of this very hospital where we both stand. See this? This states my job as the IT Technician. I work nights and go home in the morning. Which is why you saw me trying to buy an iPod from the same Walmart you were. I was just as frustrated as you and had been standing there for just as long. If you really want to, please feel free to contact my boss, John Doe (obviously not his real name) - Director of Information Systems and complain about the fact that I refused to assist you at the Walmart."

Sputtering impotently at me, I left him and went to the Charge Nurse and asked her if she had heard the exchange. She assured me that if it came to it, she had my back and would attest to the fact that I was polite (if rather curt) and did not raise my voice or swear at him.

I know my boss however. It's not going to be a problem.

The sad thing about it all? I was up on that floor because someone had complained to the charge nurse that their daughter couldn't see the free and open wireless access point with their PSP. When I got the access point back up, there was only one PSP on the entire network. Guess I can figure out which daughter it was and who her father was.

[Amina516]

I just have one thing for that...:



Thats how I felt reading your post. And what a jackass, to STILL be harping on walmart in a totally different place.

[LillFilly]

But...but... You obviously worked SOMEWHERE so you were obligated to help him whether you were at your job or not! Didn't you know that?

PS. Guy might have been under stress, but was still a jerk. Wonder if he complained about you to Wal Mart.

[Gruesome]

I would absolutely KILL to have an asshole like that "demand" service from me somehwere I don't work.

Asshole: "You WILL serve me now!"
Gruesome: "Sure thing, bub. Whatcha need?"
A: "I need a whatchamajigger."
G: "Sorry, we don't sell whatchamajiggers to (insert his ethnicity/height/weight/obvious defining featrure here) people."

or

G: "Sorry, you don't look smart enough to operate a whatchamajigger."

or

G: "No, and (loudly) if I catch you following little girls around the store while fondling yourself again I'll call the cops!"

or

G: (come on to him in a wildly inappropriate homosexual way) "Sure thing, sweetie. How would like me to (look right at his crotch and get in close)...deliver it?"

or

G: "OK, I'll need to go to the back to get one out of storage." then walk out.

or

G: "Oh, darn. See, we only have one left and it's on hold for another customer. But I'll tell you what, a few dollars in my hand would make it a lot easier to bear the ass-chewing I'll get from my manager from selling it to you. (Hold out hand.)" If he pays, walk out.

I could go on and on. How often do we get a chance to let loose the evil, mischevious imp inside?

[sprocket79]

Wow. I'm trying to decide if this guy is a bigger idiot than the one who expected you to have medical knowledge and complained to your boss.

While the medical information guy was a complete douche and complained to your boss and still couldn't comprehend your job, you could at least somewhat get his confusion as you do work in a hospital and all. Whereas, the WalMart guy has no excuse as it was 2 completely different locations. If WalMart guy complains to your boss, I think he wins (or loses, as the case may be).

[tropicsgoddess]

What an imbecile.

[bainsidhe]

Telling the guy to contact your boss about how you wouldn't help him at WalMart was a nice touch.

[BethB]

The two nevers at Wal-Mart...
Never wear khakis
Never wear a blue shirt-unless it has some funny quotes(we're not allowed to wear it).

but then...you could be wearing all zebra print and he would have still had a fit, I'm sure. le sigh

[Demolition Man]

Don't feel bad. I've gotten asked if I worked at Wal-Mart before too.... with my New England Patriots coat on.




Yeah... looks NOTHING like an Walmart uniform, right? Yet somehow dimbledore not only asked "do you work here" but before I could even answer she started asking me 10,000 questions on DVDs or whatever. I finally got her to stop for a second so I could simply say....

"Notice I'm wearing an jacket with the New England Patriots on it? I guess if you stopped for a second and actually LOOKED instead of just seeing the blue on the jacket you might of realized that and from there figured out I don't work here. Have a nice day."

I think I left her utterly speech less since I didn't hear a word come out of her.

[Pagan]

Quoth BethB

The two nevers at Wal-Mart...
Never wear khakis
Never wear a blue shirt-unless it has some funny quotes(we're not allowed to wear it).

This is why I leave my sunglasses on when I'm coming in and don't make eye contact when I'm leaving!