“another customer points at a sign that says ‘all sweatshirts 19.99’ and asks these are all 19.99? she’s serious about this so i get really serious too. absolutely. yes. incredible, huge deal. she unfolds the sweater she’s holding then drops it on a different display and leaves.”
Haaaa. I worked at Williams Sonoma as a teenager and was suspended once because when a woman brought me a floor display of a Le Creuset butter pot, pointed to the price sticker, and asked me how much it was, I said, “You want me to read it to you?”
This was great, even if it brought up some light PTSD. Thanks for sharing.
I had to be so mindful when writing this to not go overboard because I was in retail management for seven years and I could write a whole novella full of benign shit like this, but this was the kinda customer interaction that came every single day multiple times a day. Truly drove me insane over and over again.
Very sorry for the ptsd, I did dole some out to myself too while writing this lol. Thanks for reading and for the kind words(:
I worked retail management for like 15 years and this piece is perfect. ❤️ Really well done, James. You captured so much. Also, the screw as a baby tooth falling out made me collapse--what a line!
honestly, I wish I’d kept a detailed list of the benign shit I endured in customer service but also am very glad I didn’t lol. I remember too much as it is.
thank you so much for the kid words, happy to have you on board here<3
Thanks for sharing this James...worked a lot of retail jobs and this piece certainly captured the inner turmoil of bowing down to the customer, regardless of the situation. It really does take a certain skill to be able to put on that "front" when dealing with the public on a daily basis.
Okay, holy fuck. First of all, your sense of humor is golden. I honest-to-god laughed out loud several times reading this, to the point that my partner asked me from across the room if I was crying. You’re so funny, and it’s the kind of expertly crafted humor that I genuinely can’t tell if it’s intentional or not. I love it.
Second, when I think of ideal, 10/10 stream-of-consciousness writing, this is exactly the shit I’m looking for. Your wit and ability to turn an otherwise mundane series of events into something so engaging is super impressive. Love love love this one, James. I’m actually a little bit obsessed with it, it’s so good.
Side note: a webcomic I really love has a character whose work/code name is Rabbit, so thinking about him while reading this made it even better. :)
this is so fucking sweet eli, thank you!! I’ve been heavy repressing my humor on here in some weird attempt to be respectable or literary or something but I kinda just love being a funny little guy so I’m glad to here it came across in this story and was even appreciated!!!(:
Definitely appreciated! I don’t know how to describe it, but the way you weaved in the heavy undertones with the funny-guy narration was just the perfect balance for me. I would read like, 100 more of these haha
JAMES, what on earth. I think you just wrote my favourite fiction piece I’ve ever read on here. Good lord, I ate all of this up, it’s exactly the kind of thing I love to read
“another customer points at a sign that says ‘all sweatshirts 19.99’ and asks these are all 19.99? she’s serious about this so i get really serious too. absolutely. yes. incredible, huge deal. she unfolds the sweater she’s holding then drops it on a different display and leaves.”
Haaaa. I worked at Williams Sonoma as a teenager and was suspended once because when a woman brought me a floor display of a Le Creuset butter pot, pointed to the price sticker, and asked me how much it was, I said, “You want me to read it to you?”
This was great, even if it brought up some light PTSD. Thanks for sharing.
I had to be so mindful when writing this to not go overboard because I was in retail management for seven years and I could write a whole novella full of benign shit like this, but this was the kinda customer interaction that came every single day multiple times a day. Truly drove me insane over and over again.
Very sorry for the ptsd, I did dole some out to myself too while writing this lol. Thanks for reading and for the kind words(:
Hi! This is AMAZING. Like genuinely amazing.
don’t know how to properly express how kind this is. means so much to me, thank you for reading and sharing and commenting, i’m so glad you enjoyed(:
I worked retail management for like 15 years and this piece is perfect. ❤️ Really well done, James. You captured so much. Also, the screw as a baby tooth falling out made me collapse--what a line!
HEAVY flashbacks to the summer I worked Macy's young men's department. Great work, terrible memories, shit.
I have a collection of things customers have said to me. It’s my GTFOH list. Literally 200+. I really should publish a little bathroom reader.
Anyway. Subbed. That first paragraph has so much detail. The door stopper. Amazing writing.
honestly, I wish I’d kept a detailed list of the benign shit I endured in customer service but also am very glad I didn’t lol. I remember too much as it is.
thank you so much for the kid words, happy to have you on board here<3
God James this is SO GOOD!
thank you so much, the kindness is almost too much for my lil heart to handle
Thanks for sharing this James...worked a lot of retail jobs and this piece certainly captured the inner turmoil of bowing down to the customer, regardless of the situation. It really does take a certain skill to be able to put on that "front" when dealing with the public on a daily basis.
Awesome piece sir, this one is great. Love the stream of consciousness, brought back some buried memories working in retail.
Thank you so much for reading and dropping this very kind comment. Those retail memories get shoved way deep, digging them back up ain’t easy lol
Okay, holy fuck. First of all, your sense of humor is golden. I honest-to-god laughed out loud several times reading this, to the point that my partner asked me from across the room if I was crying. You’re so funny, and it’s the kind of expertly crafted humor that I genuinely can’t tell if it’s intentional or not. I love it.
Second, when I think of ideal, 10/10 stream-of-consciousness writing, this is exactly the shit I’m looking for. Your wit and ability to turn an otherwise mundane series of events into something so engaging is super impressive. Love love love this one, James. I’m actually a little bit obsessed with it, it’s so good.
Side note: a webcomic I really love has a character whose work/code name is Rabbit, so thinking about him while reading this made it even better. :)
this is so fucking sweet eli, thank you!! I’ve been heavy repressing my humor on here in some weird attempt to be respectable or literary or something but I kinda just love being a funny little guy so I’m glad to here it came across in this story and was even appreciated!!!(:
Definitely appreciated! I don’t know how to describe it, but the way you weaved in the heavy undertones with the funny-guy narration was just the perfect balance for me. I would read like, 100 more of these haha
We all need to stop shopping to save these poor bastards on the shopfloor. This was high misery and so fucking funny.
high misery is such a good way to describe it, thank you for that
JAMES, what on earth. I think you just wrote my favourite fiction piece I’ve ever read on here. Good lord, I ate all of this up, it’s exactly the kind of thing I love to read
Oh god, are all customer service jobs the same internationally? I swear, I worked this exact job in Germany during my University days.