I somewhat feel as though I'm on The Amazing Race. I didn't make it my goal to live in as many boroughs as possible, but hey, when life throws you curve balls, dodge them so you don't get hit in the face.
New York has thrown me oh so many curve balls in less than a year. From not being able to find a nanny job, several job rejections, getting fired, having bed bugs and now a crazy, frantic summer move, I have become flexible in ways I never imagined.
Two weeks ago my friend Neesha mentioned that her roommate would be gone for the summer. And her room could be mine for 3 months. And I would save $200 a month in rent. And I'd be living in Manhattan. Easier commute, close to an express train, Starbucks a 5-minute walk... I'd be crazy to say no!
I like my job, but the problem with retail is the hours are never guaranteed, so my income fluctuates. The ability to save $600 on housing over the summer is crucial right now.
I also have a friend moving to the city, so we've discussed looking to live together with some other girls in the fall - in Queens. If that happens, then I will officially have lived in every borough in less than a year. What's that you say? Staten Island? pssssh. That's not a part of this equation ; -)
My friend Elisabeth from Raleigh was up here last weekend for her birthday with her friend, and we got to have dinner and walk around midtown for a couple of hours. It's always so good to have friends come into NYC.
I have a friend from college (we realized we've been friends for TEN years!) coming to the city to visit on Thursday and I am excited to visit with her.
And now for the part you've all been waiting for: CRAZY CUSTOMERS ROUND 3
1. A lady was shopping for shoe boxes for her "251 pairs of shoes" that each cost $800 because she has "strangely sized feet." I showed her the options we had, showing her a shoe drawer that is $8.99. You know, if the woman has spent over $200,000 on her shoes, I assumed buying 251 boxes at $8.99 would be nothing. "Too expensive" she says. So I show her our boxes that are $1.89. She wants 20, but when I hand her our box of 20, it's "too heavy to carry." I introduce our delivery service, for $25. "Honey," she says, "I didn't make $60 million by wasting it on stupid crap." Hmmm. Okay. So she proceeded to buy 5 of our boxes at $1.89.
Then she gave me the best lecture I've ever received from a customer. After telling me I was way too pretty and smart to be working where I am (RUDE!) and I should be more ambitious (RUDE!) and I should sell cars because that's where the money is (DEBATABLE, and I don't want to sell cars) she THEN goes on a tirade about the government and how they're keeping us poor, her divorce, her housekeeper and interior decorator and the fleet of cabs she owns. This all happened in a 5 minute conversation, then $60 million woman spent her $10 and left. Pathological liar? Or true multi-millionaire in disguise? Honestly, in Manhattan there is no telling...
2. I unknowingly returned merchandise from a customer that had bedbugs in them. It wasn't discovered until they were taken to the stock room to be discarded. Ewww. Seriously, what was she thinking? Having lived through the trauma that I have, I get chills just writing this.
3. Two nights in a row customers stayed in the store until 9:40 p.m. We close at 9. Please, please as a consumer, respect those who work in retail. Imagine you get off at 5 pm, you have plans, you've had a long day, but all of a sudden, at 4:30 your boss comes up to your desk and starts talking to you. He has nowhere else to be and no concern for the fact that he's holding you up. When he finally walks away at 5:45 you now have to finish up your last 30 minutes of emails and shut off your computer and gather your items. You are now leaving at 6:15. It's rude. If you do this, I forgive you. But stop :)
4. I was looking for an order for a customer and I couldn't pronounce her last name. I asked her if she would say it for me and she said "no" with a small smirk. I said, "oh, I know, people often can't pronounce my name, but I'm sure I'll be able to say it once you tell me" and she said "you're not going to get it right. No!" and glared at me. Okay... sensitive subject...?
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