Working retail in this area, i have experienced the rudest people to serve have either been Canadians visiting for the purpose of shopping or suburban women, slumming it in the city. The later is an entirely different subject, best saved for another day i feel like kvetching...
There is an attitude of entitlement and expectation of superior service because "I am from CANADA"... like that is somehow going to impress me into giving them more than i could give 30 seconds ago.
Oh, if that's the case, you are Canadain, well, then, i will get out the special backstock we keep away from the Americans to save just in case a Canadian comes into the store!
Or maybe the Xmas season is getting to me more now than it ever did in the past.
See, unlike those that have office jobs and got off work on Friday to have a week or even a few days off work, us retail shlubs have to keep on keeping on... right, (e:Fellyconnelly)?!
At my place of employment, to top it off, we have been short staffed. The pox i wrote about, (e:LeeTee,42588) has given me more hours... more than i wanted or could handle. Normally, we get a delivery on Tuesday and by Wednesday, it is all tagged and put away. No such luck this week. The back alley wasn't dug out from the weekend's snow soon enough, so we trudged it all box by box through the front door (the trucking company only drops off at the door, the employees have to get it to the appropriate place in the shop), all 3 skids of it. And the mopping afterwards... *shudder* Thank goodness no one slipped.
Being 2 staff members short, we barely got the chance to get to tagging and stocking. Of course, the manager complains when she comes in that all of the work should have been done. This same manager who needed a week off to recoup from whatever it was that was keeping her from working (all i know is that she was in the hospital for a day or maybe 2 then was home the rest of the week), but managed to get in on Friday to look around. I was sick, throwing up in the garbage can beside the cash register, but she still needed her regularly scheduled day off. Nice...
The light at the end of the tunnel, for me, was that my holiday plans would not be ruined. I was actually going to get to see some of my family for a short time today. (e:Uncutsaniflush) has to work this morning, but has the afternoon free and i have an actual day off.
So, after he gets off work, we were going to hit the road to Hamilton, arrive early afternoon and hang out with my mom and dad, my brother, sister in law, their 2 kids and their new foster daughter, have dinner with them, open some gifts i have here for them....
But that was foiled. Seems someone forgot to tell someone else that someone else invited them somewhere. Would we be able to do lunch?
Nope. No can do. This afternoon is the only time i can see them this holiday.
Despite me being as clear as i could to my mom and to my sister in law via email that this is and will be the only chance for (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i to see them, they made other plans. These plans are to go to dinner elsewhere... and this morning, i found out that they will be having dinner at that same place the next day, too.
How is that for a "fuck you", huh? Not only will we not make space to see you, but we made double the space to see the other side of the family's sister... not my brother's side of the family's sister.. aka me.
Ah, and the "fuck you" extends to my mother... who, for the record, rarely cooks. This year, she not only bought food to cook, but baked deserts and treats. All in preparation for this afternoon and tonight when their household of 2 would swell to 9....
So, it's not just Canadian strangers that are rude... it's my family, too.
- sigh*
sorry lee. what a bummer. I hate that massive disappointment when you were REAAAALLLLY looking forward to something. Especially when it feels like a personal slight. :(
(just remember- the estrip parties aren't scheduled when you can't go ON PURPOSE! We promise!)
Re: retail...
yeah. Dan works for one of "the big stores" at the galleria, and i have been hearing horror stories. His hours are worse than mine these days, and it's just soul-crushing. I went to the mall today, and couldn't BELIEVE what a zoo it is. And there are all sorts of money-exchange booths set up, and citizenship info kiosks... Damn canadians! ;)
I'm sorry to hear about your family situation. I might have an interesting post after my holiday visit from the family.
I understand the frustration about scheduling. Family and friends don't always understand that Drew has to work on holidays like Christmas or Easter so visiting people out of town is a master feat to pull off.
Now that you've vented, focus on having a terrific holiday with UCSF!!
I admit I'm a little bit confused about what is going on, and where you are going but that doesn't have much to do with my point, so then why did I just type that, I don't know really. The point I was going to say was I think your Nieces are lucky about the gifts. Ican kinda remember when christmas was over and I had gifts and then found out that something was coming in a week when I saw other family or got something in the mail. It kinda makes it like two christmases. That being said family is stressful and it can really get that way around this time of the year. Try to push out the stress and just have fun and work if that is possible.
Totally valid points, (e:Libertad). Not all office jobs are the same. You only have Xmas off, unlike other office jobs that have more time off. And you will be doing more driving to see your family than we will... we are leaving after i get off work at 6pm for a hour and half, then back to Buffalo on the 25th so (e:Uncutsaniflush) can go to sleep at a decent hour so he can be at work first thing on the 26th -- only 3 hours of driving, total. At least we will be able to see my parents, if not any other member of the family.
I hope your drives go as smoothly, quickly and safely as possible.
I also realize my venting sounds so self important and perhaps a bit stronger than i intend. I was, and am still, frustrated by co-ordinating schedules with people who don't understand i no longer can control when i have time and when i don't. There's also a bit of history with my sister in law and "our" side of the family. She hasn't always been as considerate as she could have, to put it as nicely as i possibly can...
Saddest part is that my niece, nephew and foster niece won't get their gifts from us until after the holiday. They are here, sitting in our living room, along with a few things my parents picked out for them when they were here last. I should have mailed them all weeks ago, but i thought i would get the chance to see them today. :O(
I also found out about some other family drama on my mom's side between my grandfather and my mom and my uncle.
As my mom put it, "we're having family issues this year, aren't we?" Yep, seems like we are, Ma...
Ok, (e:Paul)... you got a deal. No Xmas next year!! :O)
Man, that sounds like crazy situation. I hope things get better after the holidays with your fmaily. Seriously, it seems like holidays add so much extra stress to everyone's lives, I think we should just cancel christmas for next year.
Sorry things are rough right now. The holidays can be so stressful. On another note, I have an office job, but the only day we have off is Xmas. I would be working New Years Day if it didn't happen to fall on my regularly scheduled day off. I'm actually working the day before and after Xmas and will be doing almost 5 hours of traveling each way on Xmas day itself because I'm working the day before and after and want to see my family.