The SC Smile Police

[Jadedcarguy]

Just today I had some old fart do something like this to me. I had my head in my hands on my counter because the wind today has kicked up every allergen that has existed for the last six months and blown them straight up my nose, thusly my sinus headache was at critical mass.

Me: The Count of Monte Christo
OF: Old Fart

OF: <opening a door that says "Employees Only"> Wake Up! Hehehehe!(Old Fart laugh) <bangs his hand on my counter and walks out>

Me: <His hand strike on the counter made my head hurt worse>

First off dicknose, I wasn't asleep. Second, you have no idea why my head was in my hands. Did I just get a call saying my grandmother died?<I didn't> Am I nursing a hangover? Maybe I just have a really bad frikkin' headache! You don't know, so leave me alone! Sometimes I hate sitting where I sit, being visible and all.

[Broomjockey]

I don't smile often. I don't like it unless I'm genuinely happy. It makes my face sore. I'm currently wearing braces, so I'm that much more sensitive about my smile. Do I show teeth? How much teeth? Enough to show braces? I don't often have people telling me to smile, however I do have people asking me why I'm sad. I just have that kind of face.

Mostly I'm just emotionally neutral, not happy or sad. However, telling me how I feel, after I tell you I'm not something? Usually a bad idea. Especially if I say "I'm not upset." Tell me that I'm upset after I say I'm not, I'll oblige. Also, if I am upset, don't tell me to calm down. The two times I lost it at work were directly after those words were uttered. If I'm upset, or down, or whatever, gimme the space to work it out, and it'll be over quickly, and painlessly.

[XCashier]

I don't smile often. I don't like it unless I'm genuinely happy. It makes my face sore. I'm currently wearing braces, so I'm that much more sensitive about my smile. Do I show teeth? How much teeth?

Interesting. I'm also a bit sensitive about the appearance of my teeth (mild dental fluorosis and an overbite). And with the SC Smile Police, a pleasant upward curling of the corners of your mouth won't cut it. They demand to see teeth, all of the teeth, in all their crooked, discolored glory!

[MadMike]

I've always thought that a forced smile was creepy. I'd much rather the other person have a natural, neutral expression.

I always seem to get people who insist I smile, but you know what? I can't win. On the rare occasions where I am smiling, everyone thinks I'm up to something.

I had a coworker once who caught me in a bad mood, and tried to insist I smile. She got a "fuck you" for her efforts.

[Casino Jockey]

i'm very self conscious of my smile, and only my very good friends have seen a legit "happy" smile (normally happens when i'm in worship) as opposed to my fake, work smile.

last year my sister was battling leukemia. i had just left the hospital as my sister was going in for her bone marrow transplant as i needed to work (i thought it would get my mind off the situation, and looking back was probably the best thing i did. i just gave me something to do, and as work was close to the hospital on lunch i ran over for an update).

anyway i'm at work and some old coot has a go at me, than goes to my super and has a go at him, cos i wasn't smiling. well my super ripped him a new one. it really was a classic performance by my super and made me feel a little better.

(my sister is now in remission BTW)

[AriRashkae]

A good response for those morons is:

"Well, my grandfather just died, so thanks for being an insensitive dipshit."

Their faces usually drop and they stammer out apologies, but you freeze them with your ignoring ray and once they're gone, you actually end up smiling.

The one time* I got told "Smile! You're young, life's not that tough yet!" I told them exactly what had happened a few weeks prior: I had buried my 5 day old son (preemie). My husband couldn't find work because it was an employer's market and he was overqualified for everything. He couldn't even get a job slinging fries because the managers were afraid he'd go for their jobs. (There was more, and I let them have it with both barrels but you get the idea )

never in my life have I seen someone backpedal and look for a rock to hide under so fast in my life. Popping someone's bubble and showing them Real Life made me feel a little better then.

*I only got that once because most of the time, especially if I was doing some menial task, I would randomly grin or start giggling, because a piece of my mind was working on some entertaining scene involving randomness or hilarious character torture. I got left alone by those who didn't know me.

[BdwayBabu799]

I have had 2 coworkers who I never saw with anything BUT a huge smile and they giggled a lot. Most of the time it is okay, but when you are trying to talk to them about a serious work matter and they are smiling and giggling, you really wonder if they are listening...you have to be serious at times, especially at work.

Also where I work now, I was having just a horrible week at work and I also found out a close friend of mine died in her sleep. I was over tired, stressed and nothing was going right. When I saw my coworker, she asked me how I was and I told her I was fine and she kept perstering me to cheer up and I finally said "look, before I tell you anything I am going through now STOP smiling and giggling because seriously this is not funny" I told her what I was going through and just walked away. I know I should not have exploded but really....this is not the first time she saw me disappointed or ready to quit and she would just giggle hysterically and smile..

[Crazeyal]

I still have no idea why my post inspired someone to get a bit angry with me.

I know this is trivial, but I felt that a reply was in order as I really didn't deserve to be told how I have a nasty attitude from someone who doesn't even know me.

Sorry.. bit of bad writing on my part. I *SHOULD* have added a clarification specifying that coment as a side-note. My bad. The origional poster was who I was mainly speaking to. The frustration you caught was more with the entirely negative response from the whole thread.

And there is no anger at anyone involved. I just tend to play the devil's advocate. There can be a LOT of negative energy around here. Sometimes people need to be reminded that not EVERY customer is a mouth breathing selfish prick.

The gist of what I was saying, is that all I was hearing was over-reactions to a common phenomenon, and a positive thing at that. I'll grant you, some people have NO TACT, and no consideration. There just MIGHT a reason for someone in a customer service position to lose their sense of humor or just be concentrating on getting theings done.

That being said, I have about a 60/40 rate of smiling and actually getting a better mood/mentally telling people to go $%#$ themselves when I get the "smile" suggestion. 99% of the people doing the suggesting, have been well meaning people who smiled at me first. Even if I'm stressed/overworked, I usually appreciate the effort (even if I'm putting on a fake smile!)

I *KNOW* that there are people who have little common sense, and even less social grace. Even though I haven't experienced it, I know that there are people who pounce on employees who are not smiling. But that doesn't invalidate honestly NICE PEOPLE who are simply trying to brighten your day with a little bit of cheer.

Bad moods are contagious.

Surprise.. Good ones are too!

[BaristaGirl]

In closing: Mind your own business. If you want someone to smile, try and GIVE them a reason to smile. Don't tell them to smile. Especially if its a retail worker. Jesus Christ. Telling a retail worker ( or any CSR type ) to smile is quite possibly the most insensitive thing you can say to them. =p

Oh, Gravekeeper, thou art something really awesome.

I get both. I get "Smile" and "Why are you so happy?" I usually -don't- smile on command, as it were, because if I'm not smiling, there's a reason for it. When I get "Why are you so happy?" I usually just respond, "It's what they pay me for."

As long as I'm polite, I think people need to get out of my face. Any comment on my facial expression is either condescending or trying-to-be-funny or something. Once, I was having a horrible day, (when I wasn't a retail employee, mind you,) and someone told me to smile and I broke down crying. What if someone did that to me at work on a bad enough day, and I broke down crying? What kind of jerk would you feel like for making me cry? Either way, get out of my face.

[Foxglove8778]

I have to agree. I loathe being told to smile. I have always hated being told how to feel and how to express those feelings.
<rant>
When I am in excruciating pain (as is often the case), I need a better reason to smile that to please some random, insensitive jerk. I'm being functional, that's more than you should expect.

I've been told to smile after learning that a relative has died. I've been told to smile after being told I'll need surgery. I've been told to smile after learning that surgery won't help.

How 'bout I just bare my teeth or my trauma to you?

Don't tell me to smile. You want me to smile? Quote Invader Zim at me. Don't whine at me about insignificant problems. I promise you it could be worse. </rant>

[powerboy]

When someone tells me to smile, I just give them a fake grin and walk on. I do not say a word to them

I do the same thing

[GingerBiscuit]

I have been known to just give them a blank, emotionless stare for a few seconds, and then a fake smile that I make sure doesn't reach my eyes.

[FlamingSickle]

I've been suggested to smile once, years ago, while I was filling up a customer's drink. Apparently, I get a rather serious look on my face when I'm doing something, so say my parents, so I guess it could look like I'm unhappy to someone who doesn't know me. Since then, I've learned to keep a Mona Lisa look going if there are customers around just so that they don't bother me about it, even when I'm not talking to them.

Also, all this red lettering makes me feel like I'm reading dialogue in a Zelda game. "Surely from this moment on, you shall be known as the Hero of Winds..."

[RetailWorkhorse]

I would love to have someone name me one person who smiles ALL THE TIME. I bet no one can!

THE JOKER!


I was working one day (don't I work everyday?), and a co-irker-type-friend of my sister's came into my store to bug me. Peachpit (as I called him, because he's a Yankee native who lived in Georgia for a good chunk of his childhood) asked me why I looked depressed. ...I wasn't depressed, I was stocking the bins. I told him to bite me and to go bug Sister.

I've been told to "SMILE~! JESUS LOVES YOU!"
"And the Devil wants to sleep with you."

Finally, there at the end, I had created the perfect I'm-Smiling-But-You-REALLY-Don't-Wanna-Know-WHY grin of madness. Okay, so work drove me to it. That place drove me up the wall.

I have a crooked smile and I like it that way.

[Miffed]

I've never encountered this problem, since I typically just fake smile at work when serving customers. (One summer I had a lot of free time and mastered my facial expressions. Happy to mad in zero flat.)

The advantage of smiling at work and generally being happy (even if it is fake) is that most customers will perk up at seeing someone smiling, which makes dealing with them not as bad and boring. I hate my job but I'm gonna make the most of it however I can.


I do agree though, telling someone to smile is definitely out of line, a line that is blurred by stupidity. It's bad enough dealing with someone having a bad day, but giving generic and useless advice is worse.