F***ing fantastic.
Once upon a time, in the seafood department of a franchise grocery store….
I’d already had a particularly bad day, mostly involving management, when a woman who my coworkers and I refer to as ‘the cat lady’ called the department phone. We call her that because every two weeks she comes in to by talipa for her cat, who has seizures and needs an all-organic diet.
Now, store policy is that we don’t cut fish from the counter unless you’re buying the whole piece, because no one wants half a filet of talipa. Every two weeks we tell this woman, and every two weeks she makes a fuss and insists that our manager, C, does it for her all the time. Now C has told us all that he does not, and not to do it no matter how much she protests.
So on this day, I’ve been off for three days so I’m not really up-to-date on the state of our ordering. I pick up the phone.
Me: This is the Seafood department, how can I help you?
CL: Do you have any Talipa?
I look on my order sheet and see that the last order for talipa came in yesterday morning. I have two cases in the back.
Me: Yes, I have two cases in the back from yesterday morning.
CL: You don’t have anything from today?
Me: No, I’m sorry, we didn’t get an order in today.
CL: I come in all the time, to get fish for my cat, she has seizures.
Me: *Now knowing who this is* Oh, yes, I know you.
CL: Then you know that I come in on Sundays and get fresh talipa!
Me: Um…No, miss, we never got fish orders in on Sunday mornings.
CL: That’s bullshit! I don’t know what’s going on in that department, but I want to speak to your manager!
Me: Well, Miss, the department manager is on vacation right now, and I’m the only one in the department. We should be getting a case of talipa in tomorrow morning if you’d like to try then, but until then we only have what’s in stock.
CL: Listen to me, you little bitch, I come in every Sunday and get fresh Talipa. So I’m going to come in, and you’re going to give me the product that came in this morning.
I’m dumbstruck for a moment, because while she’s always been unpleasant she’s never gone out of her way to call me names.
Me: I’m sorry, miss, but if you continue to speak to me like that I’m not going to be able to serve you.
CL: YOU LITTLE BITCH! JUST BECAUSE I’VE GOT A LIFE AND A JOB, DOSEN’T MEAN YOU CAN TALK TO ME THAT WAY! *Hangs up*
Five minutes later my store manager, whom I’m having issues with, comes over and demands to know why I called CL a bitch. I insist I didn’t, that she called *me* a bitch, but he won’t hear of it.
Now I’m going to be pulled up with my union. I might cry. I’ve never been anything but polite to customers and believe me; I’ve been through some real winners. Hopefully my boss backs me up but really, who knows. I haven’t seen CL since, though.
I’d already had a particularly bad day, mostly involving management, when a woman who my coworkers and I refer to as ‘the cat lady’ called the department phone. We call her that because every two weeks she comes in to by talipa for her cat, who has seizures and needs an all-organic diet.
Now, store policy is that we don’t cut fish from the counter unless you’re buying the whole piece, because no one wants half a filet of talipa. Every two weeks we tell this woman, and every two weeks she makes a fuss and insists that our manager, C, does it for her all the time. Now C has told us all that he does not, and not to do it no matter how much she protests.
So on this day, I’ve been off for three days so I’m not really up-to-date on the state of our ordering. I pick up the phone.
Me: This is the Seafood department, how can I help you?
CL: Do you have any Talipa?
I look on my order sheet and see that the last order for talipa came in yesterday morning. I have two cases in the back.
Me: Yes, I have two cases in the back from yesterday morning.
CL: You don’t have anything from today?
Me: No, I’m sorry, we didn’t get an order in today.
CL: I come in all the time, to get fish for my cat, she has seizures.
Me: *Now knowing who this is* Oh, yes, I know you.
CL: Then you know that I come in on Sundays and get fresh talipa!
Me: Um…No, miss, we never got fish orders in on Sunday mornings.
CL: That’s bullshit! I don’t know what’s going on in that department, but I want to speak to your manager!
Me: Well, Miss, the department manager is on vacation right now, and I’m the only one in the department. We should be getting a case of talipa in tomorrow morning if you’d like to try then, but until then we only have what’s in stock.
CL: Listen to me, you little bitch, I come in every Sunday and get fresh Talipa. So I’m going to come in, and you’re going to give me the product that came in this morning.
I’m dumbstruck for a moment, because while she’s always been unpleasant she’s never gone out of her way to call me names.
Me: I’m sorry, miss, but if you continue to speak to me like that I’m not going to be able to serve you.
CL: YOU LITTLE BITCH! JUST BECAUSE I’VE GOT A LIFE AND A JOB, DOSEN’T MEAN YOU CAN TALK TO ME THAT WAY! *Hangs up*
Five minutes later my store manager, whom I’m having issues with, comes over and demands to know why I called CL a bitch. I insist I didn’t, that she called *me* a bitch, but he won’t hear of it.
Now I’m going to be pulled up with my union. I might cry. I’ve never been anything but polite to customers and believe me; I’ve been through some real winners. Hopefully my boss backs me up but really, who knows. I haven’t seen CL since, though.