EWWW
So I spent my Saturday cleaning up my apartment. Normal Saturday, I finally get around to studying, it takes me awhile to get in the studying mood but it happens. I’m attempting this whole trying not to procrastinate. :/
Anyway, so I sit at my desk and I dive into Chapter 1: Biology Exploring Life, I don’t get very deep because a minute later my cell rings. I look and notice it says that a private number is calling me. Due to my blasted curiosity, I answer it. It’s a man on the line, he mumbles, “Kimberly?” I ask who is calling, and then he mumbles something else in a thick accent. I keep asking who is calling, he then says someone named Albert gave him my number. I finally catch what he had been mumbling earlier and continued doing so.
“You have sex for money?”
……O.O
After hearing that I finally end the call. He called back again, but obviously I didn’t answer the second time. I will never pick up another private number call ever again. I mean, wrong numbers happen from time to time, but never someone asking for sex. And I find it scary that this prostitute shares my name. I don’t just give my number away to anyone. And I don’t know anyone named Albert, I also don’t have the type of friends that would prank me like this. So I know this was just a wrong number…a very scary coincidence I guess. If he hadn’t said my name I wouldn’t be acting this way, I’m so grossed out. :S I mean, I’m not ignorant, I know these things happen in the world. But it still freaked me out. Be careful when answering private numbers, never know who is calling and why. -.-
In other ranting news, I work on campus at a deli and I’ve been working there since August. I’ve been enjoying it, I finally feel like one of the team and the people I work with are really nice. Of of the things I’ve learned while working in the food industry is dealing with people….rude people. I’ve had rude customers but I’ve always been able to keep my smile. However, on Thursday while I was cleaning the girl’s restroom, I had bleached up both of the toilets and started scrubbing one when a girl came in. I turn to apologize then I noticed it was an ex coworker. Side note: She was hired around the same time I was, but was fired like a month later for inappropriate behavior. So after noticing it was her, I thought, she will understand where I’m coming from having done this job herself.
Me: Hey, sorry can you just give me like a few more seconds to finish scrubbing?
Girl: sigh
Me: [returns to scrubbing]
Girl: [Reenters] That’s not fair, I’m a paying customer and when I worked here I let customers use the toilets.
At this point, I was just annoyed. I couldn’t help but let that annoyance show off especially after my manager had informed me that after she was let go she threatened her and would trip some of my coworkers while they served customer’s their food. I can’t say if any of this is true because I never witnessed it myself, but this girl’s attitude on a regular day was off and so this time I couldn’t keep my McAlister’s charm.
Me: I’m sorry, I didn’t think you would want to sit on a bleached up toilet. But by all means…go right ahead.
Girl: Sigh. It’s fine.
I continue scrubbing and was just amazed. I didn’t want to be rude, but she just had this look on her face like I was purposefully trying to keep her from the restroom. The toilets were covered in bleach, and she didn’t look like it was an emergency. I know the customer is always right, but the toilets were covered in cleaning product. I needed a few seconds to at least clean it before she could use it unless she did want to sit on a wet toilet. To each their own. -.-
How many of you have dealt with rude customers? I’m guessing most, were you able to keep your actual feelings in check or did you let your anger get the better of you?
Kristen Said:
on January 27, 2014 at 12:05 pm
I totally know what you mean about rude customers! I used to have this “always see the best in people” attitude. But working with the public has completely ruined that. People are monsters. They are rude, ignorant, self-centered, and obnoxious. Luckily my employer doesn’t force me to tolerate disrespectful behavior from customers!
kim Said:
on January 27, 2014 at 11:36 pm
@Kristen, I knew I’d have to deal with rude people every now and then, but she was an ex coworker, I expected a bit of understanding on her part. And she wasn’t jumping in a way that showed me it was an emergency. I honestly wasn’t trying to be rude to her, I would have said the same thing to a non ex coworker as well. Again, I just expected some understanding. :/ People….sigh.
Agent Q Said:
on January 27, 2014 at 9:37 pm
Rule of thumb: unless you’re expecting a call, it’s safer to never answer any call from an unknown or a withheld number. Now if that same number calls at least twice, go ahead and pick it up, since it might be someone you know using someone else’s phone. :/ Sorry you had to have that awkward exchange. Even a “sorry, wrong number” feels weird.
Dealing with rude customers isn’t pleasant. Dealing with a passive-aggressive ex-employee makes awkwardness ten fold. Was this a single-stall bathroom? If she really needed to go, she could’ve just used the men’s. After all, if you have to go, you have to go right? Then again, she didn’t. People like that are everywhere. 🙁
kim Said:
on January 27, 2014 at 11:48 pm
@Agent Q, Yeah, I won’t be answering anymore private calls from now on. :/
Yeah, I know everyone has bad days but she was really upset by this. I mean there are ways of handling things. And I know in the moment sometimes we forget our manners, but she was rude for no reason. It wasn’t like I disregarded her bladder. I honestly was trying to clean the toilets as fast as I could. And it couldn’t have been an emergency because when I left the restroom she was sitting at a table on her cell. No jumping about or legs crossed in an uncomfortable position. And we have a center right next door that she could have gone to if it were an emergency. What’s done is done, I just have to think carefully on how I want to handle situations from now on.
Thanks for reading and commenting. :3
Ginger Said:
on January 28, 2014 at 4:13 pm
Ha…rude customers.
They are both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because they make you appreciate the nice ones more as well as teach you how to NEVER act in public/towards service industry peeps, and a curse because, well, they’re asshats.
What are you going to do, you know? The ones that really get to me are the entitled ones. They are the worst.
In other news…I heard you might maybe exchange some $3X for that M0N3Y??? Lol just kidding! I would probably have laughed if that happened to me. So weird. I actually answer calls all the time, but that’s mainly from adjusting to being a job hunter and actually WANTING strangers to call you.
kim Said:
on January 29, 2014 at 11:39 am
@Ginger, I miss you Ginger!!! XD
That’s true, not like I was rude to people before when going places, but working at the Deli has certainly made me appreciate workers whenever I eat out or go to a store.
It was just really creepy, mostly cause he said my name. And I always answer my cell, I’m so curious to see who is calling me. But this was the first time I had a private number.
Congrats again on the promotion! <3<3
Melissa Said:
on January 28, 2014 at 8:04 pm
Oh my gosh that is so weird of that guy calling you like that. I bet you were extremely freaked out. Hopefully you won’t have more encounters like that through the phone!
It’s so cool that you work at McAlisters! I have actually never been there before. I hear that the tea is good there haha. And okaaay it is so rude of that girl to be acting like that. If she is actually tripping the workers there and what not then she seems a bit immature in my opinion. If I got fired from some place I probably would never go back because I would be to embarrassed lol! I hope you don’t have any more rude customers. They can be the worst. But just don’t ever let them get to you.
I hope you have a good week 🙂
xoxo
kim Said:
on January 29, 2014 at 11:43 am
@Melissa, Very weird.
Yeah, I had only been there a few times before getting the job. Now I’m there three times a week. Yeah, it’s the Peach tea that we’re known for….look at me pimping it out. XD
Immature definitely. I know bad days happen, but at least try not to take it out on the people you encounter. I’m surprised she comes back as well, it makes my manager really uncomfortable, she tried having her banned but UH wouldn’t allow her to do that. I usually don’t have too many rude customers, so when I do I get bummed out a bit. But I’ll try not to let it get to me.
Thanks! Hope yours is just as good.
Michelle Clement Said:
on January 29, 2014 at 3:28 pm
You’re an awesome writer! 🙂 Such a great post. Creepy phone call, though! I used to have to deal with grumpy impatient customers a lot in retails, but I never had any quite that bad – plus, there was always a counter separating us…lol. I would’ve been tempted to just clean the toilet reeeeeally slow in your case. 🙂
kim Said:
on January 29, 2014 at 7:00 pm
@Michelle Clement, Aww Thanks. :3
I was so tempted to take my time when cleaning the restroom. But I thought my snarky comment was enough. I did however see her waiting for her food and when I walked by I did say, “All clean.” I’m not sure if she heard me but that didn’t matter.
Thanks for reading and commenting. :3
Kimi Said:
on January 29, 2014 at 8:01 pm
I had to come check out your blog since we share the same first name. I’ll be back to read more. (hope that’s not too creepy.. 🙂 ) I really hate private numbers. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t answer. I’ve had my share of doozies too, though yours takes the cake hands down. Not sure that’s a good thing! And I think it’s always awkward running into former co-workers under less than ideal conditions, especially when they’ve been fired.
kim Said:
on January 29, 2014 at 8:26 pm
@Kimi, Hello fellow Kim, thanks for stopping by. :3
Yeah, it was really uncomfortable hearing our name, and then hearing “You have sex for money.”
That’s what made it creepy, if he hadn’t said our name, then I would have just been like….”Ok creep, wrong number.”
And I remember only working one shift with her and hating it. She did nothing to help me. There were tables that needed cleaning and people that needed to be served. She stood in a corner sweeping the same place over and over again. So frustrating, thankfully I didn’t work any other shifts with her.
Thanks for reading and commenting. 🙂