A few more working tales...

**Another post just rusting in the drafts stash, enjoy! Again publishing as is**

Not to be confused with working tails. :)

As I had so many requests to keep my work stories coming...I've done just that. Here are a few more stories I've experienced at work.

One morning, I was helping a customer who was more than kind when I mentioned all of our "deals" that I'm supposed to promote to every customer. Her total was close to $100 when I rang up her order. When she heard the amount, I was worried because usually when a customer comes in "intending to buy one card" and that isn't how things work out, many times they will cut down their order. Which I totally understand and try to make as unawkward as possible. However, this lady laughed and said okay while inserting her credit card. She then explained to me that she was on a spending spree that morning. Apparently, her husband had deposited too much money into her bank account and when she'd tried to tell him about the error he had been grumpy with her. In return, she had been out shopping the whole morning and "having a wonderful time". She left laughing and happy as a clam and she'd been so funny about the whole thing I was rather pleased myself. I have to wonder if her husband made her return the items or just double check the next time he made the transfer. :D

Not too long ago a gentleman and his wife came into the store and we struck up a conversation that was on and off throughout their shopping experience. When they came up to check out we got talking about Christmas and sure enough, this gentleman was one of Santa's helpers. He had his beard all ready and was just waiting for the holiday season. Because I have a soft spot for Santas and because I just happen to carry coupons, I was able to give them a small discount on their order. Look at me being a little elf!! *mega grin*

Sometimes, my customer service is really a service, not just a smile and helpful pointing and directing. This happened one afternoon when a woman came in looking for a sympathy card. She needed a daughter and a granddaughter card. They were for different members of the same family who had lost this woman. When I guided her to the correct card section I felt the need to help find befitting cards. This will happen sometimes. The woman seemed thankful for my added attention and after we'd found the loss of granddaughter card we still had yet to find a fitting loss of daughter. The woman told me just find a card I'd want my mom to have. This caught me off guard and if I wasn't so used to keeping my facial expressions in check my eyes would have bugged out of my head. That had escalated quickly. I helped her find a card that she found so entirely fitting she gave me a hug and left in tears both because of my help and for her loss.

Christmas is always crazy at the store. It's just the way it is and I actually really like the rush because it spares me from having to dust, get papercuts while fighting envelopes, and twiddling my thumbs. Well, Christmas is also a time where we have to deal with more than our "usual" customers. That is to say, we deal with many grumpy customers. I was alone up front at the registers, I can't remember how that happened because during the holidays we normally have fourish people on shift at any given time. Well, we were busy and had a line formed when a gentleman stepped up and explained his problem. He had bought an ornament the week before and would you believe it--it hadn't come with a hook for the Christmas tree. *crickets* The converstiaon went as follows: 
"Sir, the ornaments don't come with ornament hooks." I explained.
"That's right, mine didn't have an ornament hook."
My brow wrinkled as I tried to think of another way to tell him that there wasn't a problem when he seemed to catch on.
"Do you mean to tell me, that the ornaments don't come with hooks?"
"That's right sir."
He's angry now and he's trying to intimidate me. Granted he is a big guy. I'm not really small but he has a good foot on me but I'm a Jo March buster, you can't scare me. I just have to use my sales associate nice face.
"So I spend $30 on an ornament and you're telling me that doesn't include the tree hook?"
"I'm sorry you were dissapointed but Hallmark ornaments, for as long as I have known and I've had some from when I was a child, have never come with the ornament hooks." (Side notes, no ornament comes with it's own hooks, right? Some have the strings attached but it's not like you buy a pack of four ornaments from Hobby Lobby and they have the hooks included, are you with me on this?)
Anyway, back to the story, remember, I have a line, I have answered his question but he's still not satified. We continue with him repeating basically the same question with different wording trying to make me admit that we are somehow ripping him off, but I'm used to these kinds of tactics. Finally, he understands that there's nothing I'm going to do, and nothing I can do, and I send him on his way to a craft store to get himself some ornament hooks. I quickly work through the remaining customers in line and I've actually almost forgotten the guy when a customer steps up to the counter. She's around my age and I prepare to converse and ring her up as I normally do when she says:
"I was giving that guy about two seconds more before I was going to step in. You weren't going to tell him off, were you? He should not have treated you like that."
For a moment I couldn't even think of what she was talking about because that kind of thing happens rather often, not to his length, but I just forget about them because there's no way I can afford to take all those comments personally.
I initially laughed it off and admitted that, one, I couldn't really get agitated because that just isn't my style and two I'd already forgotten the incident. She then confinded in me that she also worked retail and she was going to take him down for me if I'd needed it. We had a laugh and I chatted with her before sending her off with a "Merry Christmas" wish. What I didn't realize was that my manager had come from the backroom and had heard part of what the girl was saying so I had to explain the story to her. My manager was NOT pleased. She thinks of us as her little family so that fact that he'd been so rude...haha, it's actually rather cute when my manager goes to our defense. 

Lastly, for the stories, there is a lady that frequents the store and she always has her little dog either in hand or in one of those special doggy purses. I've chatted with her a few times and we got talking about her dog and what a lucky little puppy she was. The woman then slightly turned the topic to her death and what would become of her doggy at that time. She knew that if her little lady went to her family the puppy wouldn't receive the attention and frankly, spoiling she knew the puppy expected and "deserved". She then observed that I knew a bit about dogs (um, well, like I can carry on a basic conversation about them and I love them but that's about it) and that she would add me to the list she was keeping of candidates to be willed her dog when she passed away. The thing is, I couldn't laugh this one off...because the dear woman was totally serious. I'm just glad that even though I clearly couldn't reason with her, there is very little chance I'll have to reason with her family. Hahaha.

Did you enjoy the tellings?

Cordy {Samantha Elisabeth}