Karen, you’re ruining my life

One of the most defining points in a person’s life is the moment they enter the workforce.

I was 17 years old when I got my first real job, and I’m not counting on-and-off babysitting as a real job. My mother suggested the idea as she witnessed me carelessly spending large portions of my savings on trips out to eat and clothes.

On a sunny summer day in 2016, my mom and I strolled into a Bed Bath & Beyond in search of a shoe rack for our laundry room. As we walked through the automatic sliding doors, I noticed a table to the left with job applications and pens sprawled all over. I picked one up and started filling it out. Before even finishing, Kevin noticed me.

Kevin was one of the store’s general managers. He approached me and asked if I was interested in working at Bed Bath & Beyond. This might sound like a shocker, but I was interested in working at Bed Bath & Beyond!

I needed money.

He took my unfinished application and skimmed over it quickly. He asked questions I did not fill out yet and a few more to get to know my personality. I was surprised because we were doing this right in front of the customer service desk. Did he not have an office? Also, where was my mom?

After this very informal interview, he shook my hand and told me the hiring manager would reach out within the week. I guess that was it and so I went in search of my mom.

It all moved so quickly and before I knew it, I was at Register 3 learning how to handle money, apply coupons, scan registries and return items. The next day, I was live and in action.

I stood stationed for four hours at a cash register checking out items. I greeted everyone politely and did all the small talk one expects from a cashier.

“How are you doing today?”

“Aw that’s great to hear.”

“Did you have any coupons you would like to use?”

“Would you like to sign up to receive our coupons? You can do it by mail or email.”

“OK, you have a great day.”

This was my life now. This is what I would have to look forward to for 28-32 hours a week.

Working in the retail business was fun for a solid day. Anything past that was a living nightmare.

Customers would drain me. My spirit, patience and self-esteem crumbled throughout the work shift. People are very rude to customer service workers and it baffles me as to why that is.

*YOU* want my help!

I have been in nasty conversations with people of all genders and ages. If they did not get their way, people would shout. I was a “dumb little girl who doesn’t know how to do their job.” People would order me to call my manager just so they could explain to them how I am a “shitty” employee for not taking back their return, albeit they wanted to return an extremely used vacuum that was not clean.

People would dig at my character and what I was wearing because I could not accept their coupon that expired seven years ago.

These kinds of customers would follow me to the sales floor. If I was not being berated at a cash register, then it was when I was trying to organize towels. Customers would come up to me and ask questions about products or where they can locate a certain brand of soap dispenser. I would help them to the best of my ability but if I did not give them the answer they wanted to hear, it would be hell.

Like, Karen. Listen, I’m sorry we don’t have a queen-sized, Pimacott, goose-down, goose-feathered comforter for you, we are out of stock. I don’t know what else to tell you.

Twice. I cried twice at Bed Bath & Beyond because of poor treatment. Working there made me feel incapable of life’s simplest tasks. I thought I was useless and would never make it in the real world. It was hard to go into work knowing strangers would be rude and make harsh assumptions about who I was without knowing me.

There comes a point where one physically and emotionally cannot handle being spoken to like a substandard, unqualified, sack of grizzled garbage, so the next step is to quit and never return. And that is exactly what I did. Three years later, I went on holiday with my family and never went back. One of the best life decisions I ever made.

As a retired customer service employee, I always make sure to be kind and compassionate to people whose shoes used to be my own. I do not know their story or how their day has been and customer service workers are not intentionally out to make the lives of consumers more difficult, though some may disagree. They are just trying to make money like everyone else in this world. Does it hurt to not be an asshole to those making minimum wage? Not at all.