strange but good evening...

so, after a passable day at my library job (despite temper-tantrum-ing toddler screams echoing in the wide open space), I had to head off to my retail job for the big 40% off sale... now management has never specifically SAID we can't accept gifts from customers... so today marked the fourth time a customer buys me a piece of chocolate. the first two times were on the sly... they'd have me ring them up and then as they start to walk away, hand me the chocolate. Only ever been a Lindt truffle or Ghirardelli mini-square (we have them at the counter)... nothing HUGE... tonight, this lady bought me a truffle. Okay... so a couple hours pass... around 8pm, one hour left...

I'm trying to put fabric away, so I'm sorting out holiday fabric so I can make a run to that section... I spot this ADORABLE doggie Christmas print... it's a panel (one large design)... It's called the 12 Dog Days of Christmas. It's hilarious!! One thing: I purposely left all forms of money at home... I figured I could get a panel of it and quilt it up and donate it for display at the shelter where I volunteer... but there's MAYBE three panels left... yeah, not a chance of me getting some. A customer overhears me... we chat a bit... I tell her what I'd love to do with it... she says her sister would love it... she promises to bring it back... several minutes later, she and her two (male) friends return, cashing out. Now, they're geeks like me... sci-fi stuff, are familiar with OryCon (which I'm involved in again), etc... the girl pays for her stuff, two fabrics, and some trim... I ask her if she knows where they put the rest of the dog fabric... she says, "It doesn't matter, because this is for you."

My jaw dropped. Now, honestly, it only comes, after discount, to about three bucks... but still... holy crudola... I flagged a manager and made sure it was okay... printed out a copy of the register receipt for proof... and I have it... so, it's moving to very near the top of the (sickening long) list of fabric projects I need to get done... I told her that around Christmas time, she should come out to the shelter and see the finished project...

Now, there are two identical images in one panel... hmmm... I wonder what I'll do with the other one...

I also got a catsitter for my next trip down to CA. I can't pay her (she's a coworker), but she brought up the idea of a trade... so we'll hash out what I'll make for her...

So much sewing to do, and so little time to do it... eek!!

I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone or something... it's bizarre...

Amanda

You must be the QUEEN of customer service, if people like you so much they're doing such nice things for you! Good work!

aww, what a kind gesture! People must know you're a nice person and you show that by the way you treat people, so others do nice things for you a lot.

I wish there were more people like that in the world! I also think that all animal-lovers just by default are really kind people hehe.

That is a wonderful gesture! I love people, who love their jobs and it shows, which it sounds like you like your job very much! Good for you. I'd love to see the finish project before you take it to the shelter.

It's a fun (about 80 percent of the time) place to work. Yes, the pay is low, but I get to be surrounded by fabric and crafty stuff (although, not AS much of that, since we try to maintain ourselves as a fabric store, unlike a certain large chain), and people who are creative and sometimes goofy. Even when I'm having a bad day, I try to make light of it and get customers laughing, if they've been witness to the bad stuff.

Like when one of our machines is slow... I'll stick my tongue out at the machine... and start talking to it, telling it to behave... now in any other store, they may try to have me committed for that behavior, but not here... When I'm stacking stuff, like a pile of cut fabric, I tell it to 'sit, stay,' like a dog... I get smiles, and sometimes laughs with that as well...

i find my humor where i can... and if being silly for customers is what helps me get through my shift, then that's what I do...

I had one time where I was cutting for a girl and we started talking about doing costumes and other crazy stuff... our conversation got so animated, my coworker and the ladies she was cutting for right next to us were listening to our conversation... I swear you could probably have heard us way back in the warehouse... we were so loud and goofy... and the others were laughing along with us...

I swear I must've been a vaudeville performer or something in a former life... I'm a ham... not all the time.. but when I get going... watch out.

And for me to be at a retail job for two years (well, two next month), is amazing. I hate the drudgery of retail... but I enjoy it here...

Amanda