Do You Work Here?

Anyone who works in a service industry will recognize this as possibly the most annoying question in the world. I cannot count the number of times I am asked this question in a single day. Nevermind the bright red lanyard around my neck bearing the JC Penney insignia, nevermind the name badge attached to this lanyard. Not to mention the clothes I wear make it possible to distinguish me as either a high flying power broker out shopping JC Penney on my lunch break or an obvious employee. This question really gets my goat.

Now before you start jumping to conclusions, yes I realize that 99% of the people who ask me this already know the answer. In fact, there are only two general reasons a person would ever ask such a silly question. 1)They obviously know I am an employee and they need help with something, but they can't come up with a better line to get my attention or 2)They obviously know I am an employee and are upset with the lack of service in our store, and are asking cynically to make a point about our poor service.

Well, to the first group of folks I say

"Come on! Stop insulting your own intelligence and come up with a better line. I am more than willing to help, just ask me!"

To the second group I say

"Piss off you crazy bitch, this isn't the 50's anymore. We don't have a staff of 'sales clerks' to do your personal shopping."

I give you the finger ma'am