Today I started work at St. Vincent's thift store...
...and today was an experience.
I've seen things I don't understand.
I've seen things I can't explain.
Such as the man who'd had all of his fingers on his right hand cut off in a machine. The old man who's male partner had recently died who he kept referring to (adorably) as "my other half." The 8X-sized shorts (that's XXXXXXXXL) on the SPORTING GOODS rack. The water buffalo-shaped salt and pepper shakers.
And then there's the woman who couldn't stand up straight and flung her body onto the jewelry case. She pulled out her gigantic magnifying glass and demanded to see jewelry immediately, and I put a tray in front of her. Like a starving bear stumbling upon a small child, she tore through the jewelry in minutes, leaving only carnage and despair in her wake. She was particularly drawn to pearls, and she had to test each one to see if it was real. I couldn't even take the time to register the appropriate alarm at the piece of a cheap earring that broke off and flew through the air because I was aghast at the sight of her shoving each piece of jewelry in her mouth, one after another. And then that thing I can't explain... and still almost don't believe even though I saw it myself... happened. I saw her reach into her mouth and pick a tooth with one finger, and then I saw a small pearl fly out and onto the tray.
Goddammit that there weren't any other witnesses.
Anyway. My manager has a moderately severe case of OCD. In the semi-chaotic thrift store environment, she tends to be tempermental but manageable. Regardless, this is the most organized thrift store I've ever seen. The other cashier, a sweet woman in her 60s, doesn't take any shit from her and usually just chuckles and goes back to chatting with the customers when the manager tries to get her to do something. The truck-unloader-guy that I'm replacing on Thursday is very friendly but... different. At one point he whipped out a disposable camera, snapped a picture of me looking confused/startled, and said "I like to take pictures of all my new friends."
It's a nice thought, I guess.
I've seen things I don't understand.
I've seen things I can't explain.
Such as the man who'd had all of his fingers on his right hand cut off in a machine. The old man who's male partner had recently died who he kept referring to (adorably) as "my other half." The 8X-sized shorts (that's XXXXXXXXL) on the SPORTING GOODS rack. The water buffalo-shaped salt and pepper shakers.
And then there's the woman who couldn't stand up straight and flung her body onto the jewelry case. She pulled out her gigantic magnifying glass and demanded to see jewelry immediately, and I put a tray in front of her. Like a starving bear stumbling upon a small child, she tore through the jewelry in minutes, leaving only carnage and despair in her wake. She was particularly drawn to pearls, and she had to test each one to see if it was real. I couldn't even take the time to register the appropriate alarm at the piece of a cheap earring that broke off and flew through the air because I was aghast at the sight of her shoving each piece of jewelry in her mouth, one after another. And then that thing I can't explain... and still almost don't believe even though I saw it myself... happened. I saw her reach into her mouth and pick a tooth with one finger, and then I saw a small pearl fly out and onto the tray.
Goddammit that there weren't any other witnesses.
Anyway. My manager has a moderately severe case of OCD. In the semi-chaotic thrift store environment, she tends to be tempermental but manageable. Regardless, this is the most organized thrift store I've ever seen. The other cashier, a sweet woman in her 60s, doesn't take any shit from her and usually just chuckles and goes back to chatting with the customers when the manager tries to get her to do something. The truck-unloader-guy that I'm replacing on Thursday is very friendly but... different. At one point he whipped out a disposable camera, snapped a picture of me looking confused/startled, and said "I like to take pictures of all my new friends."
It's a nice thought, I guess.