You Oughta Know

So I wish society would indoctrinate the population on retail etiquette. The dos and don'ts of shopping. We behind the counter are taught certain rules, such as don't insult the customer, smile, be courteous, and don't invade their space. All generally simple guidelines. What we aren't really taught, is how to deal with customers who wander into the area I like to refer to as the inappropriate zone. You know, where customers start to engage in behaviour that is uncomfortable for those of us who have rules to follow.

Today, towards the end of the shift a customer came in who looked like one of the guys from Myth Busters. He was fairly inoffensive for the beginning of his stay, but as he lingered his smarmy factor grew. I have developed a trick of tuning customers out if they are not directly speaking to me, or if they don't have a certain angry/peeved tone in their voice. It saves me a lot of mental anguish to be honest. With the creep in question, I had already answered some general music queries he had, and had left him to his lonesome. He had made some banal comment about needing to find non-depressing music to listen to (after looking at Smashing Pumpkins, which we happened to have in the player), but I made nothing of it.

Later on, I had gone in to the back to deal with some other work-related business, but returned to the store front where my younger co-worker was ringing this guy's purchase up. They were talking about art, and the likes. My co-worker looked a little awkward, but this can be a regular occurrence for all of us at the store because some of our customers make us feel horribly uncomfortable. Part of the nature of our job catering to all sorts. I figured she had the situation under control and would have him out of the store momentarily. Oh I was wrong.

As she went into the back to clean his stuff, he came up to me at the other end of the counter where I was doing something on the computer and asked if it would be appropriate if he asked her to share art some time. Now, I thought he was sincere in the art objective as I had heard their previous conversation, but I know my co-worker well enough not to encourage creapazoids such as him from making such propositions. I politely answered "No, not particularly. You are welcome to try though", in the attempt to be polite. I didn't want to be rude, but I also didn't want to give him the go-ahead. I hoped he would take my answer to heart

So my co-worker returns from the back, and I go wandering off to find some DVDs, and apparently this idiot, despite my comments, proceeds to ask her if she wants to meet in the park to share art. She does her best to politely turn him down, but he seemed intent on his objective. After being shot down, he then asks her what her name is, as he as forgotten (faux pas much?). He also apologizes for making her uncomfortable, which seemed like an attempt to endear himself to her, which failed miserably.

Needless to say after he left we proceeded to ridicule him. Partially because this guy was 27-28 trying to pick up a younger girl, and partially because of his overall demeanor and approach. I could not stop laughing at the guy, and hoped for the co-worker's sake he wasn't waiting outside the store for us to close (this has in fact happened before)


Here's what I really have a problem with the whole thing:

1. You never ask an employee out while they are working. It puts us in a very uncomfortable position. We are required to seem friendly, which I understand is a little confusing to those looking for love. What we deem as merely part of our job is seen as a thumbs up for those looking to find a date. So word of advice.... save it for after our shift.
   
2. You don't tell a girl you don't know that you like her because she looks young. This screams "pedophile", which as I'm sure you know, endears females to you ever so much.
3. Apologizing for making someone uncomfortable is admirable, but then to continue on doing it is stupid. Grow up dude.
   

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.