Saturday, April 12, 2008

Excuse me?!

I had just walked into my local Smith's grocery store, still in my uniform of beige polo shirt and black scrubs pants. I had my purse over one shoulder and had picked up a shopping basket with the other hand, when a gentleman came up to me and asked, "Hey, where's your beer?"

I looked at him totally befuddled for a second, then blurted, "I don't know! I don't work here!"

He just said, "Okay," and walked away.

WTF?

Smith's employees wear bright red shirts. RED. Not beige. And they don't normally wander around carrying purses, either.

A cashier saw the whole thing and laughed her ass off. Maybe I should change careers?

Must ponder...

13 comments:

dianne said...

That is funny Christina, I used to work for a bank, my uniform was a white blouse and black skirt or pants similar to the local supermarket so I was constantly being asked where items were & being quite tall (5'8") being asked to get things from the high shelves, that still happens.
Thanks for your comment over at Sparrows.

Christina RN LMT said...

My pleasure, Dianne!

It was funny, but strange. Especially since there were store employees all over he could have asked. Why'd he focus on me?
So, you're the "go-to" girl for the upper shelves, huh? I used to just pick up my daughter and have her grab things!

phlegmfatale said...

How BIZARRE!

Anonymous said...

You know how many times that's happened to me in an Oriental Restaurant? :lol:

Thud said...

I think the answer is in the guys question!

LBJ said...

You probably looked like you had a clue. . and no one else did.

I used to hate walking through the terminal in San Francisco in my pilots uniform, when I had a break between flights and needed to stretch my legs. I'd just leave my stuff and go for a walk. However, people would see the uniform and woudl say "oh she works here" (no actually I was based at LAX) and would stop and ask stuff. Now, I could be helpful as to where the resturant and restrooms are, at least in the United terminal, and I'd happily do that, but people wuold walk up and want to know at what time the JAL flight to Tokyo left, or what gate the flight to Phoenix left. I'm walking around, not at some sort of counter with a computer, mind you. Like I have the entire flight schedule for the universe in my head. But for those misguided folks I'd be polite and point them to someone who'd help. Traveling is never easy.

But one man asked me for directions to this specific US air flight. I told him, I never went down that terminal and I really didn't know the gate, just the general direction, sorry. He started YELLING at me and called me a stupid (rhymes with ditch). So I said "gee. sorry. you're right, I remember now. ." and gave him directions to the totally OPPOSITE side of the airport. Oh.. . and you better run. . I'm sure he missed his flight.

Christina RN LMT said...

Jethro - no way! Please tell me you're joking.

Thud - thanks for stopping by! I kinda wondered myself. You know, if I drank alcohol, and knew where the beer was, I'd have told him!

Lin - serves that asshole right! What a jerk.

Sometimes walking through the casino, guests will stop me and ask me where specific slots or table games are...I don't gamble! I usually have to flag another employee down to get the info.

Anything else about the hotel or casino I can usually help with.

Lin said...

Don't suppose it was an awkward pick up line, do you? Wonder what would have happened if you had winked and replied "And where's your beef?"

I get the top shelf items requests, too, although not as often as Mark does.

Christina RN LMT said...

Lin - I thought of really cool answers LATER...which is pretty much the story of my life.

Lin said...

Hey, I can relate to that. And when I do come up with 'on the spot' replies, I often regret it. I remember this guy in the DIY store thinking he had the place to himself. He let out a massive belch just as he came to the end of the aisle and found me there. He turned bright red and apologized profusely. I said "Aww, that's okay - at least you didn't fart." Well, I guess it struck him funny because I swear he was never more than 20 foot away for the rest of my store rounds over the next hour no matter where I went.

Christina RN LMT said...

Lin, so, did he fart?! Hope not.

Lin said...

Ya know, Christina, he never did try to impress me with a fart later (or maybe just couldn't work one up in time) but I think he might have pooped his drawers a little when he ran into six and a half feet of Mark at the end of my shopping blitz. Tall boys seem to knock the wind out of the best of them at times. grin

Christina RN LMT said...

I can see that it might be so...let's hear it for the big boys!