One of the most insulting things I have ever overheard at a supermarket is… picture this the store is rammed (like Jenny when William gets his new delivery of viagra) to the brim as it is the Christmas season and every human being has decided to bombard their local store like they were in preparation for what can only be described as an oncoming apocalypse scale natural disaster.
A young, lovely girl was serving customers on a checkout trying to make the most of a horrific nine hour shift and also even attempting to make the miserable customers break a smile.
When all of a sudden an older woman, without any sort of provocation, said in a snide voice “I bet you wish you did better at school now!”. Just take a moment to absorb the audacity of that statement.
A few flaws with this, apart from the obvious arrogance and rudeness, a) the girl she was talking to was training to be a doctor b) most of my colleagues have a degree or in some further education qualification or are now simply looking for a quieter life after being in a more high octane occupation c) they are lovely, genuine human beings who deserve a level of respect.
To say people who work at a supermarket are stupid or did not try at school is a gross oversight. I would wager in fact that retail staff most likely have one of the highest concentrations of qualified workers in any industry. Of course most use retail as a stop gap before adventuring into a more lucrative occupation or as a job before retirement. However, maybe the next time these people turn their noses up at the person serving them on a checkout they should stop to think that one day that person may have their life in their hands. The beeping may not be of a checkout but a heart monitor as they desperately try to keep you alive.
So question for you guys did any of you work in retail and have any customer horror stories?
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