Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Stories of a Holiday Sales Associate: The Monopolizer

I work at a department store part-time. It's December, 'nuff said. As a Holiday Sales Associate, I want to say please don't be that shopper.

Today, I worked the fitting room, and I noticed that certain people like take the only handicap changing room. 

The Plus Size - These are the bigger people that need the bigger rooms.

The Shopaholic - She has, like, twenty thousand items, and needs, like, all the space she can get because she fucking deserves it.

McSpeedy - Has one item and figures they'll be in and out before a handicap person arrives anyway (I used to be guilty of this one.)

What these people don't realize is that you've made my job a lot harder. Not just handicapped people use that room. Moms with small children and strollers need that room.

Now I've got a mother, toddler, and screaming infant blocking the small entrance to the fitting room as we wait for one of those three princesses to get out. And all I can do is apologize, tune out the screaming, and try not to kirk out.

C'mon people, there are fifteen other perfectly available stalls to use. 

10 comments:

  1. That phrase "Kirk out" is new to me, but I see there's already an Urban Dictionary reference to it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. While I am not "that shopper" described in your first blog as I tend to fold and organize clothes as I am hunting for something in a pile of items, I am a Plus sized ( and slightly Claustrophobic) shopper that will take the handicapped stall as a first choice if it is free and have no problem doing it. Being handicapped does not guarantee you an immediate stall to use, neither does being a mother with young children. I am more comfortable in the large stall and feel I have a right to use it if it is open. It may make your job harder but where is my right to be comfortable in my dressing room or my right to be out quickly if it is the only room open. For that matter, what right does the screaming child mother have to disturb my peace and go before me. I never allowed my children to behave in the way most parents do today and if I had mine with me they were made to wait patiently and quietly.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Do you have the right to a handicap parking space because without a permit because your "plus size" does not want to walk from the back of the lot?

    What about a handicap bathroom stall with rails?

    Handicap areas are not about letting a handicap person go first, its about letting them do the things everyone else can do with as much ease as possible.

    The screaming child does not have any more right to disturb your peace than you disturbing the peace of a handicap person who has a stall reserved.

    Take your own advice and wait patiently and quietly for a stall. Until your classified as handicap, dont use the stall. Its not the man or woman in the wheelchairs fault that your claustrophobic.

    Hop off your pedestal and onto a treadmill and maybe you can comfortably fit into the stall your supposed to use.


    And before you go at me, I do not agree with the whole family cramming into the handicap stall, unless it is a handicap/family stall.

    As a side note, state laws will differ, but the store might have a policy justifying to kick you out for using it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. @ floater - I do not use handicapped parking spaces, besides being illegal, I understand why they are there. For those who cannot walk far distances or use a wheelchair to have easier access to their vehicle. I have relatives who have both issues. A handicapped stall or fitting room are put in a building to make a building handicapped accessible not for the exclusive use of the handicapped. It is not reserved for them; it is available. Anyplace that has only one stall or toilet must make them handicapped accessible, such as at a gas station, by your logic I would not be allowed to use them.

    I do wait patiently in line and take the next stall available, handicapped or not, when there is a crowd; but if I have a choice of stalls I will continue to choose a handicapped stall and do not feel this is wrong. Besides when is only a physical handicap and not an emotional one such claustrophobia considered a handicap. Aren't both a disability?

    As far as my attack on my weight, I am not fat, I am large (174lbs, 5'5"), have recently lost over 25 lbs and am trying to lose more, not that it is any of your business. I do park at the back of the lot for the exercise and rarely take an elevator if there are stairs close by. Oh there's another device used by many invented for the handicapped. Do you use them?

    ReplyDelete
  5. The signs on these dressing rooms/ stalls read "Handicapped Accessible" not "Handicapped Only"

    ReplyDelete
  6. Let's be peaceful here, guys. I'm just expressing my frustration and how I see the world as an associate on the other side of the table.

    By the way, the larger handicap stall has the only door that goes all the way to the floor. Convenient for keeping babies from crawling out of the door while the moms are naked. Also, it is the only room that fits a stroller. You, as large or small as you are, can fit in our regular rooms. They are small, but comfy.

    Last, I'm not saying these people will go first or that you must wait. I'm saying that so you don't prevent a mother who may come in behind you, you can go to one of the empty fifteen stalls to change instead of the singular stall for certain peoples.

    ReplyDelete
  7. To both of you, by the way my name is Devon. This is not a blog specifically for you. She is expressing the displeasure of having to work in a stressful environment because people are inconsiderate and only look from their point of views as you did with your first post. The whole subject of the post was being selfish!

    Yes you may have your own issues and if you have that problem why not talk to the associate working the area to let them know about your situation and that you would like to use the larger stall? That would make things much simpler for the two of you, and more likely than not they will have no problem with you using the larger stalls. Stop being so damn selfish!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. 1)If your logic as what determines handicap was true, everyone on this planet would be handicap/disabled

    2) I suppose you would run into the handicap if a person with a wheelchair was waiting behind you.

    3)Your right, its not my business about your weight, but when your weight is part of your reason, and you choose to type it out, its fair game. If for you weight = problem, than less weight = less problem.

    4) If there was only one stall that was handicap accessible, then I am with you. But again, you said it yourself, if you get to choose your stall and the handicap is open, you go for it.

    5) Actually, I do use the stairs every chance I get. I am very in shape!

    ReplyDelete
  9. PS - That was at my new Anon friend, not Aja or Devon

    ReplyDelete
  10. Okay guys. Thank you for your opinions as rude and/or honest as they may be.

    This was a post so that the other side, the normally untold (because we'd be fired if we really said what we wanted) side, so that shoppers might see it and decide to change their behavior. They may still chose to do what they want, but at least they will think of us as people first.

    ReplyDelete