Find a tissue for goodness sakes

[Rubystars]

I work in the shoe department of a sporting goods store. The other day I saw a family (a mom and her two kids) of some people who seemed really dirty and nasty. They stood really close to me and I could smell their B.O.

They were looking for soccer equipment and socks. I showed them where the socks were. On the way over there one of the kids was walking so close to me that I ended up accidentally touching his hair as I was swinging my arms a little, and it felt gross.

Maybe I was mostly uncomfortable because I felt like I was being crowded.

The kids both looked like they might be sick, and I was a little worried about the swine flu.

Well then the kicker. While I was trying to help the mom so I could get away from them, the little kid with the gross hair took a dangling sock on a hook and wiped his nose with it.

I live in Houston so you can probably guess who I was having to deal with if you live around here, but I won't say it in the open. This is so typical.

I'll be so glad when I don't have to work retail anymore.

[VComps]

The kids both looked like they might be sick, and I was a little worried about the swine flu.

Why is everyone so paranoid about swine flu? Say it with me, people, it's the flu. There have been just over 27000 confirmed cases of swine flu worldwide and only 141 deaths. The regular flu (you know, the one nobody really worries too much about) kills between 250000 and 500000 people annually.

Unless you're very very young, very very old, or have a compromised immune system, you'll be miserable for a week or two, then you'll be just fine, TYVM.

(Sorry, I work in a pharmacy and have to deal with paranoid customers all the time. End of rant. )

Well then the kicker. While I was trying to help the mom so I could get away from them, the little kid with the gross hair took a dangling sock on a hook and wiped his nose with it.

And my next line would be "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you'll have to pay for that."

[WhiteRose]

"BUT WE DON'T WANNIT!"

"Sorry, but we do NOT support Snot-Socks."

^ yeah, I'm a smartass...

[tropicsgoddess]

He WIPED his nose on the sock?!!! Ew...seriously, socks =/= hankies.

[Erin]

Another reason to only buy socks that are packed in sealed plastic packaging.

or, knit my own.

[lupo pazzesco]

Another Houstonian!!

We get those sorts in Textbook Hell, too. Except it's the kids, chewing on the stuffed animals...and then shoving them onto the bookshelves when mommy and daddy decide to leave after screaming that the clearance prices on what they buy isn't low enough. Seriously. Had a father tell his daughter she couldn't get a keychain becuase it was <GASP!!> $1.95!!!

[Toujin]

Well then the kicker. While I was trying to help the mom so I could get away from them, the little kid with the gross hair took a dangling sock on a hook and wiped his nose with it.

And the mother didn't say or do *anything* about this?!

I'll never understand why, in this day and age, there are still people who insist on living in their own filth and not bathing...

[Rubystars]

Vcomps, about the swine flu, I agree most people are too paranoid about it. I actually have somewhat of a reason to be though. Last time I got regular flu, I got pneumonia, so the regular flu scares me enough. I know swine flu isn't any worse than "regular flu", but even "regular flu" could give me pneumonia again so yes, I worry.

Lupo, there are a lot of people like that who have no standards. One time they took an expensive ripstick skateboard from another section of our store and left it in footwear, with a turd on it. It smelled awful. I've also seen these kids pee on the floor and then giggle about it like it's a big joke. I don't understand why there's that element but it's pretty disgusting and awful.

Toujin, This time, the mom knew I had seen the kid do it, so she said a very modest, non-threatening "Hey don't do that" and then went back to talking with me like it wasn't a big deal. If I hadn't seen it I don't think she would have cared.

[LillFilly]

Ugh. People do not seem to take bodily fluids seriously. I cannot count the number of times I've found dirty diapers 'hidden' places where I work, or just thrown on the ground outside. Think of the BACTERIA you're leaving around and letting people track-around! You're baby's s--t is'nt any cleaner than the rest! Think of the people that have to smell that, and clean it-up! It's not our job!

And flush! I can't believe how someone can leave a turd the size of a Pomeranion in the (Lady's Room) toilet, and not use ANY toilet paper, not flush, and not wash their hands!!!

And boogers. Yes, the appropriate place to put those is on the wall.

One word, people. DISEASE!!! or GERMS!!! Like e-coli, hepatitis, worms.

Grrr...(puff, pant, huff) grrr....

Ok, I'm good now.

[aurelemsrealm]

That sounds about as nice as the woman who got mad at me when I refused to throw her used tissue away for her after she stood right in front of me and blew her nose. Instead, I directed her to a nearby trash can just a few steps away. She then stomped off whining about "rudeness."

[Rubystars]

LillFilly funny you should mention diapers because I actually went into the lady's room today and saw someone had left a full, poopy diaper on the floor inside a stall. I also see them fairly frequently just thrown out into the parking lot. They could have at least put it in the trash can that's in the restroom. I feel sorry for the cleaning lady.

Aurelemsrealm, one of the things that really upsets me about customers is that they don't see people who work in service jobs as fellow human beings that just happen to be at work. They think of us as being of a lower class than them, and not only that, but that our health and comfort is worthless to them.

[tamezin]

I live in Houston so you can probably guess who I was having to deal with if you live around here, but I won't say it in the open. This is so typical.

I really think it is wrong of you to be prejudiced against Texans.

[blas]

There's a lot of people who are, to be quite honest and blunt, disgusting. A lot of them are actually used to their own filth and stench. And a great percentage of that bunch are actually proud of it.

I work with a couple of people who actually have NO teeth (or only a few in the back left) and despite having dental insurance, they won't do anything about it. I work with people who have just rotten remains of teeth left, people who bathe or shower MAYBE once a week....people who obviously have never heard of washing their clothes.....people who wear the same clothes every night all week long.......you would not believe how much some people do not even bother to take the most basic care of themselves. A shower, brushing their teeth, washing their clothes, changing their clothes, cutting their fingernails......

Look, I'm not cutting on people who are missing a tooth or two, or someone who has an allergy to certain soaps and perfumes/dyes, or someone whose religion only allows bathing on certain days of the week. I just fail to understand why it seems so many people just cannot grasp the simple concept of hygene.

It's not asking that everyone change their physical appearance and be HAWT to go out in public.......it's simple basic hygene!

[bloodrose]

Why is everyone so paranoid about swine flu? Say it with me, people, it's the flu. There have been just over 27000 confirmed cases of swine flu worldwide and only 141 deaths. The regular flu (you know, the one nobody really worries too much about) kills between 250000 and 500000 people annually.

Swine flu came on the radar as a big deal because it was a strain of swine flu that caused the great flu pandemic that killed over 9 million people. After studying the current strain, it looks like it won't be as bad as all that, though there is a chance it will mutate over the summer and come back strong in the fall/winter. This came up in the 70s as well and it also turned out not to be as bad. The initial worries by health professionals were not unwarranted. The communication that this isn't as bad as what they were worried about hasn't been well disseminated to your average Joe, mind.