"I Don't Work Here" megathread

[RecoveringKinkoid]

"Well, how am I supposed to know what you people do?"

I think I might have wanted to ask her what people would that be, exactly? Seeing as how I didn't work there and all. What a clueless moron.

[dragonflygrrl]

Yesterday evening after work I had an "I don't work here," moment. To start with, my store has a uniform shirt, which clearly has the logo of our store embroidered on it. It looks nothing like the smocks worn by the employees of my local grocery store, which I stopped at last night after work. Nonetheless, some woman came storming up to me with a dozen eggs last night and said, "Half these eggs are broken!" I smiled confusedly and said, "Well, that sucks!" Then I continued with my shopping. It never ocurred to me that she was telling me this for any reason. She followed after me, yelling, "Excuse me!" Finally, I stopped, looked at her and said, in a very exasperated tone, "What?!" She thrust the eggs in my face again and said, "Half of these eggs are broken!" I was at a loss why this unpleasant woman was insisting I care about her eggs, and said, "Yes, you've said that already. And?" She said, "Well, I have never been treated like this before in my life." I said, "Well, you're due, if you behave like this in public." Then it hit me. She had decided that shirt with embroidery=employee, and was telling me about those eggs because she thought I was being paid to care about them. I quickly disabused her of that notion, pointing out that any idiot could see that the logo on my shirt was for a cell phone store, and besides, why would an employee be pushing a frigging cart and filling it with food? She stared at me for a beat, and then said, "Well, how am I supposed to know what you people do?"

[Mike Taylor]

Why they think it is acceptable to approach me while I'm wearing cut-off jean shorts, flip-flops, and a t-shirt (obviously not working) is beyond me.

Oh, that's right, I forgot...

...they are Customers.

...

They also don't seem to understand that doing work off the clock is against the law and that you employer can get into a lot of trouble.

[Broomjockey]

This just happened yesterday, and I thought it was entirely too funny to keep to myself.

Yesterday I went out to spend some time with my dad. I was wearing my black jeans and a nice blue polo-t-shirt thingy (I'm fashion inept. So sue me ). We hit a couple stores, then we decide to go to best buy. We walk in, I look at the associate standing at the door, then look at my shirt. Crud. Same colour, and style. Slap a logo on me and I work here. I joke to my dad that at least one person is gonna think I work here.

I go to look at the new releases, a random guy walks up, also looking at the new releases, and asks "Do you guys have the new season of deadwood? I thought I saw it here earlier."

I reply, "I'm sorry, I don't work here"

Him: Wha? *looks at shirt* Oh, man, I'm sorry. I guess I'm gonna have to start looking for logos"

Me: No problem. I knew it was gonna happen as soon as I walked in.

And with a big grin on my face, I turn to find my dad about 20 ft away and call over "I told you it was gonna happen!" and point at the guy.

We all had a decent laugh over it.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Yes.....I MUST look helpful! Although, I usually walk around with a scowl on my face. I am one of those people that strangers tell to "smile". LOL!

Same here. I only usually smile at work... cuz they make me! <_<

[Cia]

Kerrisan I think that you handled the incident quite well. Personally I think that I would have punched the woman.

[kerrisan]

. . . it occurred to me that you might want to submit that to publications or organizations that are parenting resources; it might push a few indignant parents to reconsider the appropriatness of their quick expressions of anger. (I'm not sure the best place to submit it to, but I bet others have ideas, and your doing it yourself might make you feel better).

Thanks for the hugs! And you know, that submission idea sounds like a good one. I might try Parenting magazine; maybe they will do an article or something about the dangers of acting on impulse: how it can be dangerous for your children . . . or embarrassing for you!

. . . although in hindsight, I really could have (and should have) handled it better. I guess I really just wanted to guilt-trip this lady for acting on impulse or something. I don't know why I couldn't just let it go then. One of my lower points as an employee, but now that I think of it it was also near the end of my employment with Kroger.

[Mixed Bag]

I know I should have been more gracious, but I really felt violated!!!

Just read Kusanagi's assault-- to you both for the way you handled it.

When I imagined what you and the woman must have been feeling as I was reading that, it occurred to me that you might want to submit that to publications or organizations that are parenting resources; it might push a few indignant parents to reconsider the appropriatness of their quick expressions of anger. (I'm not sure the best place to submit it to, but I bet others have ideas, and your doing it yourself might make you feel better).

[WHShit]

Custard danish sounds goooood!

You must look like a very, very helpful person! How does one look helpful? I do not know!

Yes.....I MUST look helpful! Although, I usually walk around with a scowl on my face. I am one of those people that strangers tell to "smile". LOL!

[kerrisan]

I have a (kind of) opposite story.

A little background: I'm about the height of your average 10-year-old: 5'1".

I was doing returns and as I was walking down the end of an aisle I saw this little girl run my direction from inside the aisle. I went into the aisle to put whatever I had away (I think it was flour) and this random woman WHEELS AROUND ON HER FEET AND GRABS MY UPPER ARM and screams in my face, "I told you to stay next to me!!!!" Freaked me the out!!! Then the lady looked absolutely mortified that she had grabbed a grown woman (though I don't look it) by the arm (let alone an employee) and screamed. She appoligized profusely, but for some reason I didn't want to let it go. Usually I'll let a slip-up go, but . . . my personal space (and dignity, for that matter) had just been violated! I just walked/ran away from her without saying a word, doing a glance over my shoulder to give her a "holy crap, lady!" frightened look. Later than night I saw her and her daughter come to my line for checkout and I just stared quietly (same look as before) at her the whole time, only speaking to her if I needed to ("Paper or plastic?"). I don't know what would have happened if she had said she needed help out to her car!

I know I should have been more gracious, but I really felt violated!!!

[Onte]

Custard danish sounds goooood!

You must look like a very, very helpful person! How does one look helpful? I do not know!

[WHShit]

AGAIN!!! It has happened again!

Today, I am on my lunch and at a grocery store looking in the bakery. Now, as usual, I have my big purse with me and look like I am shopping.

Anyway, I am looking at cakes and pastries,and the lady next to me keeps saying "excuse me" and "help", so I look over. She seems to be looking past me so I ignore her (nothing seems THAT wrong to where she should be saying "help") and continue picking out my yummy treat (lol). She starts huffing and puffing and saying "excuse me" again.

I pick out a vanilla custard danish (ooh yeah), put it into a baggie and start walking to the register to pay. I see her go to the counter in the bakery and look around. She starts YELLING "excuse me, I need help"! So, naturally, I turn around to see what she is yelling about. She seems to just be trying to get an employee to help her, so I turn around and start to walk to the register again and she shouts "you"!

I turn around and she shuffles up to me and starts to ask me how she pays for a cake if she takes one in a bag. She asks if she has to print a label out herself or if they just charge her at the till. I said "excuse me"?

At this point, and still, I am not sure if she thought I worked there or if she thought I was just a customer.

I go to ask her if she thinks I work there, but she cuts me off. She starts asking about labels again, so to shut her up, I said that I always just bring it up to the till and pay. She said "is that how they do it now"? and "are you sure"? I said "as far as I know, okaaayyy"?

Then I left...and was confused. What the hell was she on about? She must have thought I worked there...if not then she is just an annoying horrid person!!! I really wanted to shake her and tell her to shut the hell up and that I DID NOT WORK THERE...I just wanted a custard danish!!!!!

[Barefootgirl]

But their avatar now rocks.

A similar one for you can be arranged

*tries to look threatening*

*fails*

*looks constipated instead*

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

The uniform for my store used to be a red polo shirt or a red t-shirt, and a pair of khakis. As it turns out, this is the same uniform for Target.

One day I had a short shift at my store and after I was done I ran to Target while still in my work clothes.

I got quite a few people asking me where various things were in Target. I told them I didn't work there; I had come from my store which, coincidentaly, had a similar uniform.

They all understood and left me alone without further questions. The uniform at my store has since changed, so it is no longer similar to Target's, but I still make sure to change out of my work clothes before going there.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

But their avatar now rocks.