So I walked into the sporting goods store...

[sciphi]

Walk up to one of the teenage sales staff, and ask for the price on Cat Khrap[sic] (it's used for cleaning eyewear) over in the sunglasses display case. They give me this dirty look, but go over with me to the case. Their jaw drops to the floor when they see the packages of Cat Khrap[sic] sitting next to the high-end sunglasses. Now they're about falling over themselves trying to help, even going out of their way to find out anything else I might be interested in. To which I replied, "This is it", and checked out.

Maybe you had to be there...

 

[highmilegeguy]

Why is it some people like to play the part of a total jerk when dealing with a minimum wage clerk??

The wage slave is barely paid to work there and Mr jerk wants to dog him with some smart mouth request knowing this clerk may not be familiar with all the thousands of products in the store.

Yeah, I'm sure it was real funny. You're so clever.

 

[gathermewool]

What about his post made it seem as if he did anything more than ask for what he wanted...and then bought.

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: highmilegeguy
Why is it some people like to play the part of a total jerk when dealing with a minimum wage clerk??

The wage slave is barely paid to work there and Mr jerk wants to dog him with some smart mouth request knowing this clerk may not be familiar with all the thousands of products in the store.

Yeah, I'm sure it was real funny. You're so clever.
Yeah, because it's sooo unreasonable to pay someone who claims to want to be there and expect them to know their job....[/sarcasm]

Seriously, I worked as one of those "minimum wage 'slaves'" but earning $8.50/hour didn't give me license to slack off and not know my job. I blame this on work ethic my Dad gave me. No, I didn't know every product in the store, and felt like a real idiot when someone came to me and asked me for a product and then have to explain to me what it was. That gave me incentive to make sure that situation came up as little as possible.

Back OT, if someone came to me and asked me about that product, I wouldn't give them attitude. I'd ask what it was for and try to help them, or since I worked in a big-box home center, might have assumed it was some sort of fertilizer and started to head to lawn and garden.

*I* thought it was a funny story, but I've been accused of missing the point in the past so maybe I'm wrong.....

 

[highmilegeguy]

Pu-leeze.

No doubt he phrased it to get a rise out of the clerk. How clever.

If he said " I'm looking for a product called kat [censored], its for cleaning eyewear" he wouldn't have gotten any "look" from the clerk.

He approached with the intent of being a jerk to the lowly clerk.

 

[highmilegeguy]

Originally Posted By: opus1
Originally Posted By: highmilegeguy
Why is it some people like to play the part of a total jerk when dealing with a minimum wage clerk??

The wage slave is barely paid to work there and Mr jerk wants to dog him with some smart mouth request knowing this clerk may not be familiar with all the thousands of products in the store.

Yeah, I'm sure it was real funny. You're so clever.
Yeah, because it's sooo unreasonable to pay someone who claims to want to be there and expect them to know their job....[/sarcasm]

Seriously, I worked as one of those "minimum wage 'slaves'" but earning $8.50/hour didn't give me license to slack off and not know my job. I blame this on work ethic my Dad gave me. No, I didn't know every product in the store, and felt like a real idiot when someone came to me and asked me for a product and then have to explain to me what it was. That gave me incentive to make sure that situation came up as little as possible.

Back OT, if someone came to me and asked me about that product, I wouldn't give them attitude. I'd ask what it was for and try to help them, or since I worked in a big-box home center, might have assumed it was some sort of fertilizer and started to head to lawn and garden.

*I* thought it was a funny story, but I've been accused of missing the point in the past so maybe I'm wrong.....
Oh, listen to this rationalzation. He was just trying to educate the clerk who, for some reason, isn't knowlegable about all the thousands of items in the store.

You sure were being helpful.

Say it like it was. You wanted to be a jerk to the clerk and succeeded. You knew the name of the product was insulting and you wanted that response.
Sell your altruistic claim to readers digest.

 

[opus1]

"Lighten Up, Francis" -- Sgt. Hulka.

And you may want to direct your outrage at the right party since *I'm* not the one who abused the poor, opressed clerks.

Over and out.

 

[John_K]

I just Googled "Cat Kraap" (spelled right) and sure enough, there is such a product. So how is it hassling a clerk to ask for a real product? If I asked for "Windex" is that some how different?

John

 

[ARCOgraphite]

That is a ridiculous name for eyeglass cleaner ... almost as bad as "monkey butt" anti-chafe cream.

 

[urrlord]

i don't see where the OP was being insulting.he asked for a product with an odd name. the clerks apparently thought he was yanking their chain,now they know better.i worked for minimum wage (age 13-17)for years while growing up.i worked in a convenience store that sold gas,propane,groceries,hardware,plumbing,bait,tackle thousands of different items.i knew where everything was.i expect that out of anyone who has been in their job more than a few months.
competence.
imagine that.
some people feel that at minimum wage they are not obligated to do a good job.wrong.you take the money,you do the job.
sounds like somebody here is in a mood or has issues.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Just imagine the looks you get when you ask for Sex Wax in a surf shop!

 

[bepperb]

Is it not reasonable for a sales clerk to be familiar with the product they are paid to sell?

Maybe that's why he has a minimum wage job.

I gave a B- effort when I worked at Kmart for minimum wage, but I knew where everything in the store was. I don't think the OP was a jerk, I think they shouldn't lock something under glass if the clerk whose job it is to unlock it doesn't even know what it is.

 

[Billbert]

So every clerk in every store knows every product? So all BITOGers know everything about all oils? Who do you think you are kidding? What about newer employees, or a very knowledgable clerk that is new to that store/product. I am sure happy to find out that you know everything about everything.

 

[motorguy222]

The OP may have not meant anything but there are those that treat people that work in stores etc. as being a lesser person than they are.That is wrong.It doesnt matter if you are a CEO of a huge company or if you are a cashier in a grocery store or somewhere in between,people are human and should be treated that way.

No one has the right to treat someone with contempt because they work making minimum wage.A person that makes thousands or even millions of dollars is no better than anyone else and if they think they are,they are showing their ignorance and lack of principles.

 

[bigmike]

When I go to a music store and ask for gorilla snot, they know what I mean.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I like Sexauer Faucet grease. Go to Lowe's and ask for Sexhauer stem lubricant - and maybe some cable Pullin Soap too while you there. and Yes ,the OP was being a bit of a !#%&(!. Sophomoric drivel!

 

[Kestas]

I needed a putty to seal my furnace box in some areas. I was told the tradesmen called it something similar to "monkey poop".

 

[gathermewool]

An old electrian I worked with while shipping out asked me to look in his bag and grab some monkey [censored]. I laughed and asked him what the heck he was talking about, figuring it was slang for something that actually existed, but still not wanting to stupidly search for something that didn't exist if he was just messing with me. I was asked to go find a bucket of steam and a golden hull rivet, too, which were both equally as silly. I guess everyone reacts differently when confronted with something new or foriegn.

None of us was there, so to assume he was being a jerk while pointing to the display and asking for an actual product by name is kind of silly. Even if he was being silly, so what? Abusing or looking down on some one because of their level of education or station is life has nothing to do with being silly for silliness' sake.

 

[motorguy222]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
An old electrian I worked with while shipping out asked me to look in his bag and grab some monkey [censored]. I laughed and asked him what the heck he was talking about, figuring it was slang for something that actually existed, but still not wanting to stupidly search for something that didn't exist if he was just messing with me. I was asked to go find a bucket of steam and a golden hull rivet, too, which were both equally as silly. I guess everyone reacts differently when confronted with something new or foriegn.

None of us was there, so to assume he was being a jerk while pointing to the display and asking for an actual product by name is kind of silly. Even if he was being silly, so what? Abusing or looking down on some one because of their level of education or station is life has nothing to do with being silly for silliness' sake.


I too was initiated as a younger guy when I was told to get a "case stretcher" at a grocery store.I also have done similar things to co-workers in fun but doing what the OP did is a completely different thing.Having fun with a new guy on a job is not the same thing as treating someone behind the counter with what may have been a touch of contempt.

While we dont know for sure what the OP's intent may have been,it could be perceived as treating someone else as being lesser than they look at themselves.Not one of us is any better than anyone else,dont let your last name or the job you have mislead you into thinking that you are better than anyone because you are not.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: highmilegeguy
Why is it some people like to play the part of a total jerk


Quoted for truth. hint hint...