Posted by IsoM on March 11, 2002, at 18:09:33
In reply to Re: Going For A Walk??? Don't You Mean Swim? » IsoM, posted by BarbaraCat on March 11, 2002, at 16:57:07
Sometimes I'm ashamed to admit what I work at considering my IQ & my knowledge base, but...
I work at a large super store looking after the home & garden section. Strangely, they lump together paints & paint-thinners along with automotive supplies with it. I tell people if the weeds in their garden get the better of them, they can always pour engine oil or paint-thinner on it. There's a lot of leg work involved as the area covered is huge so I walk super-fast (people tend to run to keep up with me). There's a fair amount of heavy lifting at times & lots of moving things about. It's a pretty high activity job, perhaps not very taxing for a young, fit guy but for me, it's just right. Everyone refers to me as the flower lady or plant lady, & people will come back specifically to the store to ask about gardening questions. I've got 30 years of gardening knowledge. I figured if I'm going to be working in auto & hardware, I ought to know something about it too so have read up lots & asked questions so I'd be helpful when people ask.
One time I saw an older man scrutinising the shelves & asked if he needed help. He said it was the first time ever in this store that someone offered him help. I hate to see people look forever for something that the store doesn't carry & will often ask right away. It's really not much of a job but I'm determined to take pride in what I do & do the best that can be done. I have received lots of grateful comments from others. And I joke with the customers a lot. I can 'read' which ones can be joked with & which can't be.
One older couple came to me saying they couldn't find mouse-traps so I told them where they were. They came back to say they still couldn't see them so I lept to my feet saying "Super Judy to the rescue" making them laugh. Or sometimes when someone comes up to me & asked if I work there, I'll jokingly cover my label on my shirt with my hand saying "no, no! I know nothing. I'm from Barcelona" and then help them. Enough people have a dreary time shopping - it brightens my day & theirs.
I especially love the spring & summer as I work completely outside with the plants, looking after them, advising people about gardens & selling them. I'm drenched in sweat at the end of the workday (I hate the sticky feel of sweat though - yuckk!) so I know I've worked hard. I'm building quite a reputation around our town about someone who really knows her plants & am hoping I can work on that reputation in the future to start my own small specialised plant business.
poster:IsoM
thread:5582
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020307/msgs/97504.html