After a 20 year struggle, I’ve finally been able to land a coveted position as a sales associate at an outlet store for a summer.  It took years (see: 3) to find a job that wasn’t with one of my parents’ friends.  So now I ask you, Internet: why are customers so rude?

I’d like to start this discussion off by agreeing that employees can be rude too, and you, reader, are not a rude customer at all.  But everyone else is.

I ask you to never put something down right next to where it belongs.  I understand the whole putting it down on the other side of the store so you don’t have to go back.  I really do.  And honestly, it gives me something to do when I’m bored; it’s like a scavenger hunt.  But why put a product back on the shelf right next to where it belongs? Not only is it hard for the employees to spot the misplacement, but if you’re active enough to walk around a mall, there’s NO WAY you’re too lazy to move you arm that extra 3 inches.

I ask you to never complain about not being able to use 47 coupons at once, especially when half of them are expired.  Not only is that ridiculous, but the employee at the register does not make that rule.  The manager probably doesn’t either.  I’m going to bet the person that made that rule lives on the other side of the country.

For the love of God, when you ask an employee if the store carries a product, and they say no, don’t respond with “thanks for nothing.” I feel as if this is self explanatory.  It’s not their fault, and they answered your question.  They may have even suggested a nearby store that does carry the product.  But rudeness is uncalled for.  You’re just being a jackass.

Smile and say thank you.  Wait patiently (if you’re in such a rush do you REALLY need that kitchen candle?).  And don’t complain to me about the price as if I’m going to negotiate it down with you.

But where does this all stem from? Is it the smell of soap with matching lotion and candles getting to my head? Is it the constant ticking in the kitchen timer section? Is it the knowledge that, in a crisis, the world would never run out of barbeque sauce? Is it my lack of an outlet for my feminist rage manifesting itself in customer rage? (LOL JK, there’s plenty to complain about)(“LOL JK” is spelled correctly according to Word. What is the world coming to?)

Much like how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop and why the Kardashians are famous, the world may never know.

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