Gambling addiction

[aurelemsrealm]

I don't know if this is an appropriate place to put this. It's not a sucky customer story. It's still a story about something which does annoy me about one customer in particular. It's not really my business, but it does remind me of something I've been working out in my own mind now that I'm out of school for the summer. I guess you could say it's just one more reminder of reasons why I'm going back to school at age 31 -- to get out of this dead-end rat race.

My store has this one lottery customer who I seriously think is becoming an addict. We have these $20 tickets that he is hooked on right now. I witnessed him spend probably $600 over the course of an hour or two last night. He maybe won $100 or $200 of it back. Halfway through his spree, he made a comment that he might as well go for broke because his wife would be mad at him for blowing money on lottery. I just shrug and think to myself that I don't blame her because I would've been pissed, too, if I was her. This is not the first time that he's told me his wife got mad at him for blowing so much money on the lottery. Again, I don't care enough to respond because some people will never learn. Lottery is a nightly ritual for him, but I think $600 in one visit is a new record for him. He drives a very nice car, and that's the only other thing I know about him. Anyway, he was going on and on about how cold the cards were being to him and that surely he'll hit it big sooner or later, then he'd drop another $40 to $60 on them. I don't feel the least bit sorry for him. It just makes me question even more how some people function. Personally, even if I had that kind of money to blow on something frivolous, it sure as hell wouldn't be gambling.

[Ironclad Alibi]

It's still a story about something which does annoy me about one customer in particular.

Check out the resources available here: National Council on Problem Gambling

There might be something there that would be useful.

[freeatlast]

When I worked at the discount tobacco store, we sold lottery. We had several customers who would spend several hundred dollars in a day trying to hit it big. One of the regulars has won $20,000 MORE THAN ONCE on scratch off tickets. On my second to last weekend working there, he bought the last 3 tickets left on a $20 game. He left with them and came back later to redeem 2 of them that netted him about $500 in winnings. Then he told me he would have to hold on to the last one until after the first of the year. Yes - he had won $20,000 AGAIN and since that would be the 3rd time that year, he needed to hold off redeeming it because of the tax implications. I, on the other hand, had my feelings hurt because I sold him a big winner and he didn't tip me. Then, when I reported for my last day working there, I found an envelope on the bulletin board with my name on it. And inside was a $50 bill and a note from that customer that it was my tip for selling him a winner.

[aurelemsrealm]

I guess what gets to me more than anything about these kind of stories is that my wife and I are scrimping and saving to put me through school. My wife has a master's degree in her field, and is working a government job in her field which she loves. I'm happy that she loves her job. Oddly enough, I'm better friends with most of her coworkers than I am with most of my own coworkers. I can get along with my coworkers, but most of them are too absorbed in clouds of drama for my taste. On the other hand, I'm working this crappy convenience store job trying to help my family make ends meet when I'm not in classes, studying, or working at my work-study job at the natural history museum. Knowing that I'll be returning to school in the fall is the only thing keeping me going at work right now. Anyway, I guess it just annoys me to see people spend so much money on something so frivolous as lottery tickets while I'm trying to put what little I have to a much better use. I know it's not really any of my business how other people spend their own money, but it's still aggravating to see. I try to be positive and keep things in perspective at work, but the company seems to show so little, if any, appreciation for its employees. I guess I'm just frustrated because I'm trying to get some major things accomplished in my life, and it's taking time and money to get there.

[Mnemjian]

That's pretty sad for him because he obviously doesn't have the money to be wasting on lottery tickets (or else his wife is just a b*tch ) yet he continues to buy them. Gambling addiction can be as serious as any other type of addiction and is sad to see. Some people crave that "winning" feeling so bad that it's not even about the money any more. It still must be hard for you to watch since you are trying to save money while he blows it away. He just doesn't have the self control you do! Going back to school is a great idea, too. Keep it up!

[aurelemsrealm]

As I keep thinking about things, I think that's more what it was about for me. I just think of all the things I'm trying to accomplish in my life, and then I see people throwing away the time and money I'd like to have to accomplish those things I'm working toward. I guess you have to consider I've been at the store for so long that I've gotten to know a lot about the different regulars who come in, and some of them tell me quite a bit about their lives. Some of them seem to be doing pretty well for themselves, and others just seem pitiful at best. Like I said, I try to keep things in perspective, and stay focused on my goals for getting where I want to go. Sometimes, we just get to feeling bogged down in the midst of it all.

It's ironic that I was happier during the semesters when I had virtually no free time between classes, work-study, study, and work. Now that I have the free time I wanted then, I'm available to work at the store more often, and I just merely tolerate it at best. I guess it's just a mixture of things going through my mind is what has had me feeling this way the last few weeks.