Annoying little man.

[Ree]

I thought you knew me better than that.

I do know you better than that.

I don't know what I was thinking that night, but I totally misread the intent of your post, and I apologize.

After reading Tria's suggestion, I went back and read your post again, and I saw how I had misinterpreted.

I really should have realized that you wouldn't make that type of suggestion in the first place.

[JuniorMintz]

When I hear stories about people like that, I am always reminded of that story Juniormintz shared on another board, about one of their annoying customers.

He died a sad and lonely death, and had the people at JAM's shop listed as emergency contact, I believe. That story really touched me, and made me reconsider all the 'crazies' that take up space in our store.
We never know how we have affected another person's life.

Lord, I didn't notice this thread until now but that was a sad, sad thing. Uncle Al wasn't a bad guy, he was just super lonely and had basically adopted us as his own family. He sent handmade birthday cards to some of the employees children, including the doctors. He had nicknames for us all, and I was Minnie Mouse because my voice is pretty squeaky, especially on the phone. He would call our office every damn day it felt like, and would talk forever to whoever picked up the phone. Sometimes it was pretty annoying, but I always felt sorry for the guy-we all did, so we'd humor him for as long as possible.

When he died, it was the middle of the summer, he was alone, and no one found him for a week. Someone finally noticed a smell-what a horrible way to be found. He literally had no one except us, and yes, we were his emergency contact. While the mess was being cleaned up, one of the ladies went to his apartment and found all kinds of photos of us and our families that we had given him over the years.

He had no funeral, no obituary, and when he was finally buried I believe we bought a small headstone for him. I haven't been to visit, but I try to keep him in mind when people are annoying me and I know they aren't trying to.

Sad.

Anyway, sorry for the hijack.

[Athena]

Boy, ressurected thread or what? I left there ages ago. I'm ASM at the local twenty four hour service station now. I still see the German guy around, he rides a bike everywhere, wobbling all over the middle of the road. For some reason he insists in waving.

[Sailornight6]

*shudders* i have had several customers that make all my warning bells and whistles go off. but the one from my first year employment takes the cake.

i was outside when i was doing carts at night. i was humming along picking up the straggler carts (those carts that some how don't make it into the the corals) when i passed by a car, there was a rather drunk man inside. he called out and got my attention. he then told me i was beautiful and asked if i wanted to go parting with him. (not on my life) i said no and went back to my job, next thing i heard was the sound of this guys car door opening. well i skidataled out of there with cart in hand, and let my surpervisor know. thankfully i had only 10 minutes left to my shift and was allowed to go home plus for once i got an escort out to my car, with out being picked on for requesting one.

safe to say i no longer work nights at the store.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

That story about the man who'd adopted your store as his family is terribly, terribly sad. There were a number of strange, annoying, but ultimately harmless and kind of tragic characters that were regulars at Kinko's. I tried to be patient with them.

On man in particular that sticks out was an older black man who liked to wear ladies accessories and carry a purse. He was fussy, kind of impatient, and insisted on being called "Mr." You couldn't even yell out his last name to tell him his order was ready without added a "Mr." to it. His orders were always nutty, confusing, messes, usually some sort of manifesto or sermon or whatever. He would tie up the line forever, and cause your stress level to go through the roof.

He didn't mean to be annoying, One day, I asked him what his order was for. He got excited and happy to be asked, and told me all about this magazine he was trying to put together and his hopes for it.

I mean, no way was this happening, but it was his passion and it gave him something to work toward and have hope for.

Every time he came in, I made a point to smile, ask him about his project, and act genuinely interested. He became very, very easy to work with after that. Because at that point, he figured I was on his side and working with him on something that meant a lot to him.