Tales from the Trenches

Ah yes, another exciting installment of Tales from the Trenches. I have to tell you that people have seemed a bit more snappy this year and a whole lot less patient than they generally are. I decided that this weeks story will be one from the archives in my brain.

The store where I work has a high ceiling above the desk with some skylights. In between the skylights we have some white closet organizer wire that we hang ornaments and whatnot from. (Sounds cheesy, but the ceiling is white and it works.) At any rate, I had just set the ceiling with all kinds of wonderful Christmas ornaments when an older lady came through (we're talking 75 years old +) and she wanted all of the little round ball ornaments to purchase. To get the items out of the ceiling, we must hop up on top of the counter. As I pulled each ornament down one by one, I asked that she hold them. She would take the item and place it down on the very countertop that I was walking on. Finally, a pretty large pile had grown and I wasn't certain of my ability to steer around them. I asked the customer, "Ma'am, if you could hold these please, that would be great. I just don't want to accidentally step on them and break them." Her response? "If you break my ornaments than I'LL BREAK YOUR ARM!" Nice. The old lady wants to break my arm for potentially and accidentally breaking her $2.00 ornaments. My response? "That's okay, I'll probably fall off the counter and do it myself anyhow."

Geeze!