Patience, Please

To be blatantly honest, I struggled to come up with a topic for this blog. After nearly nine hours on my feet at work, creative writing isn't really high on my numbed mind's list of priorities. I sat down, stared at the blank page before me and voila! It was like the proverbial light bulb being switched on. I'll write about work. Or rather, shopping.

As we zero in on the holidays, getting closer and closer to Christmas--or perhaps more pressing, the day after Thanksgiving--shopping for the perfect gifts for our loved ones is a primary thought. Sure, most guys plead to not understanding women's fascination and borderline addiction to shopping. So let me lend a little insight. Shopping to a woman is somewhat similar to getting behind the wheel of a muscle car--let's use my favorite, the 1969 Mustang Shelby GT 500. As clicky heels meet shiny, tiled floor or as worn shoe tread meets worn rubber covering the gas pedal, a shot of adrenaline is injected into the bloodstream. Searching for the perfect gift at a bargain price, getting to it before the lady next to you is similar to edging the gas pedal ever further to the floorboards, bolts rattling and engine roaring, pulling away from the poor guy behind you, stuck eating your pony dust.

That said, let me get to the heart of this particular entry. As one who works in retail, I've seen firsthand the shopping madness in a different light. It's not so much fun when you're the one folding shirt after shirt after a day of being pilfered through by who knows how many shoppers. Or forcing a smile as one snappy, crabby person after another goes through your line, upset that the lines are so long and demanding to know why we haven't done something about it. So, as you all enter into this holiday season, all I ask is that you go into it with a little consideration for the poor saps who are their waiting on you. They're doing the best they can with the resources available to them. Return policies, declined credit applications, clothes not available in the size you need, its out of us lowly employees' hands. So, be patient. We're their to help, not hinder.

Happy holidays! And I mean that.