There's a Paralell beteween a Martini and a Woman's Breasts

One is not enough and three are too many.

I hate working like I do. The main issue is money. It always comes down to money. A person can say they want freedom and choice and opportunity and whatever, but all of those things are contingent upon money. Or will at least be greatly facilitated by having it. I get paid minimum wage to be treated like shit by people who believe that they are better than me because they are over paying for over roasted coffee. This is not to say that I didn't fully expect this when I signed up for this ride, I just honestly thought that management would not kowtow to the all mighty dollar and have a slight sense of fairness and propriety.

I was Wrong.

My work environment is so distasteful to me that I have taken to self medication before hand, just so that I can see my shift through to the end with out taking a hostage. Unfortunately tonight I had a Martini, and as you can tell from the title and opening line of this blog, one martini is never enough. So with a friendly little buzz on I drove to work.

I arrived at the Barnes and Nobles with a smile on my face for my co-workers and fellow sufferers of the Starbucks system and jumped onto the register. The very first customer who stepped up to the counter said, "Caramel Machiato...extra hot." not even a how do you do. I was not about to let this guy ruin my mood so I replied, "only if you say please," and grinned. He stared at me for a moment and stormed off. I thought nothing of it until later this evening when I was approached by the manager who said to me, "Todd, we've had a complaint about you tonight." I immediately remembered this shitty little man and his lack of manners, so I said, "yes?" My manager proceeded to talk to me about customer service and what it means to be part of the Barnes and Nobles Team. I explained that I didn't think it was a problem to expect our customers to be polite to us and not treat us like automatons and slaves. My manager told me that the customer was paying for a drink and a service and they could behave how they wanted within reason. I then explained to my manger that it does not amount of good to a society to allow people to pay for something and pretend that that gives them the right to miss-treat their fellow man. Granted may be a tad reactionary and over dramatic, but if common courtesy can be left out for a price, how long till the customer is permitted to use violence. My manger did not agree with me because it is store policy that the customer, no matter how much of an ass hole, is always right and I can do nothing about it.

I did not get fired, I did not quit I didn't even get a write up, I got a simple reprimand. But I am outraged. If I didn't so badly need this job and the measly paycheck that I bring home each week, it would have been another story.

This anecdote however, must remain as an object lesson: A faceless corporation that only cares about the bottom line, and not about the soul of the people that it relies upon to deliver the goods and services to create that bottom line, does not serve society or the individual and will be the first to go when I run this place.