I hold a BA in Business Management with a graduating GPA of 3.6… honors. I currently work as a cashier at a nationwide retail company. Never have I felt so much like a guilty prisoner. Everybody who holds any ounce of authority in this store feels the need to exercise it at any chance given. I am a grown woman, holding down a household and car note along with many other responsibilities, and yet they treat me as if I was a child. Hell, I have my own child to raise. Every day I go to work I am told where to sign on, where to stand, when to break, how to greet, who to call, and how to treat the customers. I feel like a dog on a short leash; heel, sit, stay, bark, roll over… good girl. Except, there is no “good girl” ever given. No “good girl”, but they will be sure to broadcast every thing I do that is not in compliance to their own, personal desires. I do my job, and I do it well (I think I’ve stated this in previous writings). I don’t need anyone to tell me which foot to step with first, but apparently I do because they never fail to do so. And I have no problem with the owners wanting their business to ran to the best of its ability, but I do have a problem when I am hounded and scolded by management that fails to lead by example. They say customers first to me, but they take fifteen minutes to return a page. They say wok as a team, but I rarely see the people in authoritative positions get down with “us common folk” to make a rough situation run more smoothly. You know what they tell us? Work harder, lines are backing up. But then again, this is my fault. I am the one who applied for to be a cashier when I know that I am better than this. And I am not knocking any cashier or sales associate of any kind. But I, Sharree, am above being treated as if am less than. I try to stay humble and respect those who are over me. But I refuse to shuck or jive to stroke anybody’s already inflated ego. At this point, I am uncomfortable and this is the best feeling to have. With comfort there is contentment and here I have neither one. So, each day I have a goal and that is to make it through with gratitude for what God has given me, and determination to go get what else He has for me. While I am being weighed down by this retail oppression, endurance sustains me, and the end result will be a stronger me.
This is exactly how I felt working retail! The best advice ever given was: don't take it personal! It's a business, so operate accordingly. Do your job and nothing more!
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Trice
Quite frankly this situation never stops. Even if you were working at the corporate office there would still be shit to deal with. Even more so if you are a black female- a double whammy! That old saying about life not being fair is not just a thing that old people like to say. It's real. The best way to deal with this is to think one step ahead of everyone else. You know the bullshit is coming, so you have to anticipate it and head it off. "already done" should be the refrain. It is certainly a challenge, but so much of life is bullshit. It's a game, and it's based more on perception than reality. There is stupid things to deal with everywhere. If you become a teacher you will see a lot more dysfunction and illogic, from parents, principals, and students. So much of life is a big stupid game. If you got the stuff to change it, by all means go ahead. If not, you got to play ball as best you can
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