Minimum Wage at 27 for a Reason

Pursuant to my previous post, a couple of friends and I headed into the city to do some shopping this weekend. We were all looking forward to the day out with no hubbies and no bubbies (kids). It's not that we don't enjoy our time with the families but an occasional Mommie's Day Out is much less expensive than a therapist.

Anyhoo, we headed out at daybreak and made for the wholesale bead show. (For those of you wondering what in the hell I'm talking about, the bead show is where costume and decorative jewelry makers/designers get all their stuff. I like to spend about $50 on beads to end up with about $300 worth of accoutrements, er, necklaces, earrings and bracelets.) I would like to say that the vendors were a bunch of rude, toe-smashing, pushy blowhards - - but that's just the other buyers. The vendors were are all very gracious and helpful and friendly even when we didn't buy anything.

So the real fun started when we went to Old Navy. Now, don't get me wrong, I love most of the clothes at ON, especially those for my lil pardner (size 2T). But why is it that I always end up with the one sales associate who acts as though the biggest pain in the ass just walked in the door and it's me. I'm a good customer, really I am. I'm a browser, I make note of who approaches me in case I need help or when I get ready to purchase so they get the sale. I don't get hateful or rude with them because, let's face it, their job sucks. You couldn't get me to do it. Anyways, I spent about 20 minutes or so getting a couple armloads of tees and shorts for my 2T fella and then I kind of meandered around looking at some stuff but mainly waited on my buddies to finish their shopping. I wandered over by the BBT (big blue truck) with all the tees draped on it and the cute stuffed dog in the front seat when some smarmy ON associate walked up to me (I had noticed him looking at me a couple of times although he never approached me nor said hello). He walked right up to me and, not too friendly, asked, "Are you going to check out?" Okay, correct me if I'm wrong but most folks hang out at the register when they are ready to check out. I was hanging out at the BBT (big blue truck) so, No, I wasn't ready to check out. I was surprised, at the least, that the ON associate would accost me in such a manner. "What the hell is HIS deal?" was the first thought that came into my mind but even so I just said, "No thank you, I'm actually waiting on someone before I check out. Thanks." So then the grungy stringy haired pissy attitude ON associate actually ROLLED HIS EYES at me (what the *#%@*#!!???!?). Someone enlighten me, please. I was requiring NOTHING of this twerp yet he copped an attitude with me. And in case you are wondering, I was well inside (30 or 40 feet) the front doors so it wasn't like I was trying to make a break for it with $45 worth of toddler togs. Once ONA (Old Navy Asshole) spun on his toe and stomped off, I did what any offended customer would do - - I flipped him the bird and continued loitering until my friends were ready to check out and leave.

I wish I had more entertaining sales clerk anecdotes to share but, unfortunately for my blogging purposes, the rest of our shopping day included only friendly perky proprietors. Dangit.