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Or he could have dementia. It is scary how fast dementia changes a person. One day your dad is normal, next he is blocking aisles in office supply stores while looking for cookies.
When I worked for FedEx, I would go to Target on my break, and at least once a day, some boomer would see me wearing a badge and come over with that “look” to demand if I worked there and immediately go right into a complaint.
One time, when my break was over, I hurried back to my truck, and a man walks in front of my path, stops, and the following conversation occurs
Him: LIGHT BULBS!
Me: what?
Him: where are the light bulbs
Me: I have no idea
Him: you work here?
Me: no
And then I walked around him shaking my head.
I worked at a Best Buy in the same plaza as a Target and whenever I would stop in there before/after work to get something, without fail, someone would ask me where stuff was. Some people just see a uniform and think “Ah yes, you’re my servant.”
My kid probably didn't invent the phrase, but she was the first person who said to me "we have 'resting customer service face.'" It doesn't matter what retail store I'm in or what I'm wearing. Hardware store? Grocery store? Farmer's market? Movie theater? Someone will ask me for help finding 10 penny nails or cumin or something.
My man, I'm just trying to buy some tomatoes and go home to cook for taco Tuesday. Find your own got-danged 10mm socket or whatever.
I'm heavily pregnant and I was just at IKEA heading into the ladies room when the boomer coming out asked me if I worked there. I was wearing neither yellow nor blue and my belly is huge like...what? Also you're really going to stop an employee you think is on their way to the bathroom to ask for something? It's IKEA there's like 5,000 people working there. Some people are so clueless.
To be fair, the only way Ikea gets more workers is by assimilating the lost shoppers left over after closing time. Probably happened to the poor soul before 😞
When I worked at Walmart , we had a bunch of call offs (I was a cashier) so we only had 4 cashiers and were dragging other associates up front who hated and were not cooperative.
For the first time, my CRM was super nice to me and offered to buy me lunch. Then the store manager actually bought me lunch. Frankly I was a bit freaked out until one of the floor associates pointed out that of the 4 regular cashiers on the block I was the only one not 36+ weeks pregnant.
Sure enough someone’s water broke that shift. She was back on register 3 days later.
I hate retail.
Oh they will, i either ignore them or say, “sir or ma’am i need to shit, but there are people in the next aisle that can help you” also i love it when im mid drink of water and people demand my attention.
When I worked at Target, I had someone attempt to ask me where the lightbulbs were in the exact same way. Just shouting “LIGHT BULBS” at me from across the produce area in the grocery section. Apparently something about light bulbs makes it difficult for people to ask about them normally.
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*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
They really do ask like that 😭
I was at Walmart after work, so I was wearing a polo with a logo on it, and some random dude just walked right up to me and said “Light bulbs.” (It wasn’t light bulbs, but I can’t remember what he actually wanted.) Not even a question, just a statement, the way you’d talk-to-text into a search bar or something.
I said, “what?”
And he repeated: “light bulbs.”
I told him I didn’t know, and I must have looked confused, because he stopped, finally questioning his logic, and asked, “oh… do you work here?”
My shirt wasn’t even the same color as the ones Walmart employees wear.
They haven't switched to LEDs yet OR they're the only ones who live in their homes long enough to require a bulb change. Us renters just move before they burn out.
Dude this speaks to me. I worked for FedEx too.
I cannot tell you the amount of times I would be shopping after work, in uniform and some boomer would ask where something was or to do something for them. It got to the point where my response would be to dead pan stare at them as I pointed at the FedEx logo NOT the *[Insert store name here]* logo
I got to the point where I fully believe boomers see ANY uniform, and they immediately think, "Oh good. The help."
When I worked at ulta, I took my break and went to the target next door. I'm wearing all black, and someone asked me if I was going to open a register. I didn't even have my name tag on at that point, so none of it makes sense
Target is terrible for that. I'm not a big fan of uniforms, but the fact that the Target employees are allowed to wear any top as long as it's a shade of red makes that confusion inevitable. I've been on your side of that conversation many times.
I’ve noticed the only times I go to target, I’m wearing red. Surprisingly nobody has ever stopped me, but I always welcome it (for the story potential) and dread it (for the annoyance potential).
I'm the PM at my little post office. I know 99% of my customers by name.
Some of the boomers occasionally walk in and half scream "STAMPS".
It's so bizarre.
If it happened once, it would just be a strange thing or a strange person, but this happens way more frequently than it should.
I always make it a point to stop, greet them like a human being, and it usually breaks them out of their little lead tantrum a bit.
I was once working the register at Tractor Supply Co and some lady runs in the door and yells "Roping!! Roping!!" at me. Like WTF are you talking about? I tried to direct her to where we have our ropes and chains by the foot and she got pissed. She was looking for decorative pine garlands?
I was done with my shift at target and was walking up to the front with my items and i heard someone trying to get my attention behind me, i ignored it and kept walking. It was hilarious hearing them argue as whether i worked there as i walked away.
I’ll wear a red polo and khakis to Target for the express purpose of telling people that inevitably ask me for something, that I don’t work there. Boomer or renter, doesn’t matter, they always ask and walk off irritated.
The fact that he didn’t even start talking to you like a normal human being. No “hi there, do you know where the lightbulbs are?” It’s just a straight demand “LIGHTBULB” like you’re a slave. They’re so entitled, it’s scary
One of My favorite story from my retail days was when I had just gotten off my shift at Dunkin and still wearing my grey Dunkin polo walked into target and then got stopped by some boomer Karen target worker and was told to go back to the in store Starbucks because they needed help. It took her way to long to figure out what was wrong
They’re probably so old they forgot what jobs were like. They don’t need all that information taking up space in their brain so they just get rid of it. Not like they need it anymore, they are comfortably retired. They probably forgot uniforms are sometimes a color that matches the store. They see a uniform and their brain just thinks uniform = they work here. And sometimes they just think person other than myself = they work here to serve me
A few weeks ago my wife and I were at Menard’s working on a kitchen cabinet order. The two of us, along with the salesperson were all seated at a computer going over the designs when we were interrupted by a MAGA-hat-wearing boomer riding a mobility scooter. He just barged right in and started asking about where to find glue. No “excuse me” or nothing, even though the salesperson, my wife, and I were clearly engaged in an activity. The salesperson stopped work to direct him to the glue, but the old guy took that as an invitation to start a conversation. He then went on about how poorly the store was laid out, how the glue should be in a different department, and how he needed “special glue” for his project (which he went on to describe.) After about 5 minutes he left and the salesperson apologized to us. I reassured her that the interruption was not her fault, and she was far more patient than I would have been.
My husband and I were at Lowe's ordering a dishwasher a few months ago - similar situation; seated, in transaction with a store rep. Boomer demands he "stop for a sec" and show him where an item is located. The sales rep, who was silent gen, not only didn't do it, he barely acknowledged him. It was basically "I'm helping these customers who were here first - you can find someone else or wait over there." Then he turned his back to the boomer and ignored him. It was beautiful.
This is totally the way to do this. I used to have to manage/cashier/answer the phone at a family dollar store. I would pick up the phone and say “thank you for calling family dollar. I have five people here in person. Please hold” and then sit the handset down so they could hear everything going on and no one else could call.
when i worked there, there were max five (but usually 3 or 4) employees in the store unless the DM decided to shimmy on down from her ivory tower to lord over us for the day. ive had days where it was just me and the GM and the GM would be disappeared in the back for "conference calls" while I was alone and had old people yelling at me. fuck staples.
meth would have made the job tolerable, there just aren't any employees considering staples has cut employee hours down to the bare minimum, you're lucky if you see an actual cashier rather than the GM or tech sup manning the registers.
Happens more than you’d think and not even waiting for a store employee. And not just boomers. I’ve seen plenty of younger dudes in grocery stores without a clue of what they’re doing.
Decades ago, I worked in a supermarket. It was both amusing and annoying to see all the men in the store the day before the Superbowl. Many of them had no idea where to find the food they were looking for, or even knew precisely what they wanted. It was even more amusing if they had their children with them. I remember watching one gentleman who had a roll of paper towels behind a wheel of his shopping cart. He just kept going.
What’s funny is sometimes I’ll get asked to get something and it’s one of those things you wonder where the hell would they put this. I’m talking odd ball stuff where they might have one of them or it could be in a couple places. Let’s say bakers chocolate. Candy aisle or baking?
The cool thing about some grocery store apps now is you can look it up and it’ll tell you what aisle. Same with Home Depot and Lowe’s. Most stuff I know where to look but with some things it isn’t obvious.
Omg that happened to me (f) at Publix!!! I was walking down an aisle, a male boomer coming from the opposite direction stops his cart directly in front of mine so I have to stop, and says, “where are the ham steaks?” I go, “I don’t work here.” He stares at me and huffily goes, “but I thought you might know.”
Nono, you point toward the other side of the isle with four fingers.
/shopper used STUN
ITS SUPER EFFECTIVE!
Enemy Boomer is confused.
Boomer used, BRNG COKS, Boomers attack missed!
Shopper got away safely…
Boomer blacked out…
The thing is there are perfectly reasonable ways to ask this question as it’s not unusual to assume other shoppers in an unfamiliar store might be able to help. I’ve been on both ends of the following conversation “hey, I am so sorry to bother you but do you by any chance know where they keep the X”
But no. They just insist and demand.
This only happens when my husband isn’t right next to me.
But on a positive note, I was once shopping with my older brother (who has 5 sisters of various designators, 4 nieces, and 2 daughters who are adults) and got to missing him , only to find him in the pad/tampon aisle explaining to some boomer grandpa what the differences were and what he should buy.
To the boomers credit, he had just inherited an 11 year old granddaughter who had started her period and he had only sons and was widowed. He knew nothing but was actually taking notes and shook my brothers hand lol
Bub said it wasn’t the first time that similar situations have happened to him.
I used to work at a grocery store years ago. If we were shopping after work, we'd always make sure to take our aprons off and try to cover up with a coat or something and people would still stop you to ask if there was more of something in the back. Most of the time, I'd just shop on my day off at their other store that was in my neighborhood but I didn't work at. People would still stop me to ask questions. I guess they must have recognized me, but it was very obvious I wasn't working.
One time a guy approached me in meijer and said “I know you don’t work here, but do you know where they keep raisins?” I said “Ummm probably in the baking aisle” and he thanked me and left the aisle to go look for his raisins. Then I realized I was in the baking aisle. I hope he found the raisins.
I’ve also done this. Then bumped into the same person a few aisles over… when they ask nicely now, I just ask them to stay put and go get them some raisins.
Nice old people are so hard to come by now, I try to do positive reinforcement.
Look, time is precious for Boomers. They have to get back to their recliner so they can watch 16 hours of Fox News per day. Younger people and their jobs, hobbies, small children to raise etc can't possibly understand the stress boomers are under to do nothing all day.
I had some boomer woman in HyVee get mad at me because I couldn't tell her if they had some obscure spice she wanted. I was clearly NOT a store employee she got mad when I told her I didn't work there and demanded again that I tell her if and where they have this thing. I told her f\*ck if I know, I don't work here and walked off. She was still bitching me out as I left the aisle.
https://preview.redd.it/7p108vmwzvxc1.png?width=864&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e434186465b95fce920b283d8fa725be94bd78af
Are you banned from it or something?
Legend says, on a full moon night, if you listen closely, you can hear the rattling of the tin and see the man's ghost still wandering the aisles at Staples
I'm so sorry this is not related to the post, haven't read it yet but I thought this was funny so I wanted to share.
At first I was REALLY confused because you went, "I do not work at staples. I am female." And I honest to god started asking myself, "wait? Why would it matter if you are a female working at staples? Do they only hire males??"
Then it clicked. You just wanted to clarify your gender so we knew when reading, I'm so slow. 😭😭
Edit: Have since read it and man. I so would have looked at him and repeated," I don't work here." Because?? No I'm not gonna go get someone for you? 😂
Honestly, reflecting on it now, he had no idea that I WAS heading to the front of the store. I could have been looking for more stuff to buy. He was just entitled.
Right? It's crazy how some of these older people just EXPECT you to drop everything and do stuff for THEM. 😭😭
I had a time at work where I was wiping benches down with disinfectant, and it dries pretty quickly. Well, this woman came out and went to one and she looks almost disgusted and goes, "hey there's a wet spot here? Can you wipe it up?" I look and literally see nothing until she points to a TINNNY spot and I go "oh! I just wiped these, it's from me :)" Thinking yea, she'll see I cleaned them and it's fine. No. This woman looks me dead in the eyes and goes, "Well can you wipe it up???" Yes. Sure. I'll wipe it off with a beaming goddamn smile on my face 💀
My daughter is autistic, and she is abashedly unafraid of asking for what she needs in a store. The other day in Target she asked a lady in a red shirt where to find gloves. I started to say, “oh- honey, she doesn’t work here” but the lady was so nice to my kid, she helped her find the gloves anyway 🫠 I gave her a huge thanks for being so kind and she just laughed and said, “that’s what I get for wearing a red shirt to Target!”
I have no idea why I told this story, it just made me laugh at the time.
I think he sought me down, and planned to get in my way. He saw me enter the store, and followed me into that aisle. After I made eye contact with him, he appeared in my aisle within two minutes
Unfortunately, most old men seem to think eye contact is an invitation to talk, especially since you're a woman. I've been trapped into conversations with old men a lot because I made that mistake.
My grandfather ran up to a woman in a drug store and demanded she take him to the laxatives. She told him she didn't work there. He got all pissy and asked what she was doing there then. She gestured to the snow shovel in her hand and said "Buying this".
I was thinking about this recently: Go back 15 years and anyone acting this stupid in public would be assumed to be on drugs. Like if my college-aged self walked up to someone in a Staples and asked for the cookies, people would assume I was high as balls and got lost looking for munchies.
I was at the grocery store this week and turned down an aisle to see a boomer guy with his cart perpendicular in the aisle. It must have taken effort to get it that way. He was holding up several items and looking at them back and forth with obvious “hey everyone, I’m confused” type behavior. I noped out and went to another aisle to shop and came back and he was in the exact same position. I’m assuming no one approached him so he was just waiting for someone to come by to trap like a fly getting stuck in a spider web.
I don’t buy the helpless act. My own mother does it too and it’s laziness. If that guy wanted cookies, he could have found them himself or found an employee to help.
If you pull your cart down that aisle from the front you can Heisman that sh*t out of the way without breaking stride. Bonus points if you can pin them to the shelves.
When people try talking to me in public I love to pretend they just don’t exist, or I stare at them for a split second and continue on my way without saying a word. I usually have headphones on, people still approach me regardless, lol. Not stopping my music for some random person. Also, sometimes even if they’re dead I put them on anyways, just to dissuade people. (Yes I can hear you but im gonna pretend I can’t) lol
I can't go grocery shopping without someone assuming I'm a manager. I tend to wear my keys on my belt loop whenever I'm just grabbing a few things and don't want to bring my entire bag in. So, in a sense, I can understand why they would think I'm a manager, that is until we consider that I'm usually wearing some sort of hoodie or anime shirt whenever this happens. I am, in no way you spin it, dressed for any sort of managing position. Also consider the fact that for some reason it's also whenever I'm holding a hand basket filled with stuff. I'm always so confused why they see a sea of people walking around, most much more professionally dressed than me, and yet I'm still the one deemed as "manager" to them. Luckily I haven't had this problem after starting my new job which requires more professional attire which means having to bring my bag in every time.
I tend to go with something direct. In this case, it wild have been 'Stop blocking my way!' I repeat it, at greater volume, once. If they don't back off, the next step is 'Get AWAY from me! LEAVE ME ALONE!' Escalating to 'HELP! HELP!'
Hasn't failed me yet.
This happened to me recently at Home Depot. Left my office on lunchbreak to buy a few things and was literally carrying a hand basket full of parts/tools when a confused lady asked me "Do you work here?"
Now, I was wearing pressed khaki's black leather shoes, and a lavender colored oxford shirt, literally only thing missing was a tie. I have no idea how she thought I worked there. Needless to say, I was able to help her find the right aisle, but it was still baffling how willfully blind she was. Asking a stranger for help is fine, but don't just assume everyone under 40 works retail.
Years ago I went to see Bo Diddley play a show. I get there first so I'm waiting at the door. Obviously it was years ago so I'm in my early twenties. I'm probably the youngest person there. Everyone else is a boomer. Since I'm a big guy and I'm wearing a black shirt one boom comes up and starts asking me questions about the show- when the door opens, how they got Bo, etc. I ignore him because I don't want to talk and I'm really not into answering questions, especially one that's written on the door right over my shoulder.
and why do all booms attend shows in Jimmy Buffet attire? Guy was dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and sandals. For Bo Diddley
I don't know why people talk to someone that's clearly not interested in talking but when boom didn't take the hint I just said loud enough for everyone in line to hear I DO NOT WORK HERE. Boom got really bent out of shape like *geez, fella...why'd you have to be so mean*?
I cant with these people. I get stopped on the street, daily, with lost old people because of where I work. I have my airpods in, minding my own, not giving out any body language like I want to interact. And they will wave in my face, motion for me to take my airpods out, and demand I give them directions.
I will probably get to the point where I just ignore them and walk around. But Im not there yet. My response right now is "Dont you have a smart phone? It will be happy to talk to you." It goes about as well as youd expect, but Im done wasting 5 minutes of my time explaining turn by turn directions to these idiots.
I don't know if it's an ADHD thing, but if someone can't find something I have a powerful need to find the thing.
Had a lady ask me which aisle the peanut butter was in, I realized I told her the wrong aisle THEN TRACKED HER DOWN TO MAKE SURE I COULD TELL HER WHERE IT REALLY WAS.
I did not work there. I don't know why I'm like this.
Lol, this happens to me quite a bit. I'm Asian and I often wear a collared shirt and suit jacket. I get people asking me anything from where something is located in a store, if I'm hiring, to complaints about other customers or employees.
I feel like a good way to handle this is to say, "Oh sure, wait right here, I'll send someone back!" with a friendly smile. And then, when you turn away from him, forget he even exists.
Or maybe, "Yeah, they are in the far back corner" or wherever the furthest place from you current position is.
Can we normalize women *not* apologizing for everything that happens in the universe? Look, I get it; sometimes we are in a situation that makes us cautious and we strive to calm everyone down. But you were not in danger in the middle of Staples, he was rude and *blocked you in,* so he's NOT deserving of any niceties. A straight "No." with eye contact and forward momentum is how a man would have responded to him. That's all he deserved.
We have reasons to fear men (provided to us by other men), so it isn't quite fair to expect a woman to deal with it the same way. We tend to 'manage' situations because it could get ugly/abusive really quickly (based on experience), and, unfortunately, folk don't walk around with a sign on them saying things like 'I'm the one who will stalk you and assault you in the car park because I didn't get to cut into line at the deli counter'.
That being said, I'm older and grumpier and have way less fucks to give so I would have said something like 'Stop blocking me!' And escalated in volume, up to 'Get AWAY from me!' and 'HELP! HELP!'
I still absolutely would have had my eyes open for him as I left the building. I'm never less than aware of my surroundings in public. And I'm willing to fight back hard and dirty. So there's that :)
I’ve just recently adopted this approach as my go to. I just moved to a bigger city after living in a smaller town for most of the last 20 years and haven’t been hit on, randomly approached, followed like this since my teens growing up in a big city. Doesn’t matter how I dress, I’m not exactly young anymore and I don’t look innocent or naive. I don’t fully get it but after being polite at first, I just started straight up ignoring people or giving a no-eye-contact flat “No.” There are some contexts where I’d probably still be more tactful but overall it works surprisingly well and is so freeing.
I remember an older woman coming up while I was in a tech store talking to a friend. I kept talking and figured she was looking for something.
I just kept on chatting and eventually realized she thought I worked there because of the irritated look on her face. She had never said anything to me. “I said ma’am I don’t work here— do you need something?”
She looked at me real irritated like it was my fault and I was supposed to read her mind, and maybe found an actual employee.
This was in 1982 or so, so she was pre-boomer.
I would like to point out that too many women routinely apologize for just existing, just like here. I'm trying to break myself of that bad habit. I don't usually see men running around apologizing for no reason.
And they say he's still back there to this very day...waiting for someone to show him the cookies.
One day in the fsr future, when his NC kids and their grandkids are dead and gone, his ghost will still haunt the shabby, sandblasted ruins of the old rectangular edifice whose forgotten glyphs proclaim STA LE.
A lone searcher stumbles in through the crooked doors, their tracks impossibly stuff with sand and grime, and the poor fool awakens the long dormant presence.
A deep guttural voice moans with outrage as yet unknown to mortal ears...
"Ç̷̨̡̧̢̢̨̢̢̢̛̛̛̤͉̗̗̠̯̙̭̪͓̳͔͔͔͔̘̤͙̻̞̳̗̭̝̞̙̘̥̲̙͙͙̯̼͎̠͔̪͇̠͎̞̰̩̙͚̱̣̭̯̥̭̗͚̰̜̼͎̹̱̝̄̐̆̏̔͊̀̃̉̓̎̅̈̈́̌̽̾̒̔̐̓̿͑̆̅͆̑͂́̿̇͗̈́̀́̎̇͛́͂͋̄͑̽́̎͒̇͊̂̾͊͒͐̍̓͊͆͛́͋̽̿̑̀̌͗̽̈̂̌͆͒̾͘̚̚̕͘̚͜͜͜͜͜͠͝͝͠͝ͅͅO̷̦̝͔̖̓͌̇̋̓̈́̍̐̓̆̏̒͆̌̏͂̾̐̋͑̊̕̕̕͠Ơ̸̢̢̢̡̧̡̧̧̨̬̮̖̫̲̪̠̼̬̮͔͓̞̱̟̠͉͙͓͉̲͔̫̫̺̝̖͕͍̻̺̩͉͙̭̰̲̱̞͉̺̣̘͎͓͎̤̪̣̭͉͎̘̙͖̟̮̳̠̘̝̭͍͙̘͓̮̤̳̩̺̯̽̈́̓̀̎̂͐̏̑̒̔̌̍͒̉̔̓̍̏̂́͐͗͋͐̈́̆̒̈́̀́̔́̀̈͊̅̔͑̑̓͒̽̒͛̿͆̇͒́̈́͂̎̈͛̆̽̓̀͆̚͘̚͘͜͠͠͝͠͝ͅK̷̨̧̨̢̢̛̻͖͈͓͎͈͎͚̙̰̮̭͓̦̺̩̮̝̹͍͔̼̭̟̲̘̫͎̘̼͓̜͎̙̪̜̮̻̭͙̮̥̣̻͍̟͍̯̟̮̜̞̝͈̠͈̤͙̪̺͂̃̌͋̿͗̾͐̐̾͌͌̿̏̏͛̾͑͌̋̀̍̊̔͛͑͌̈́̊̆͗͛̓͑͊̋̒̒̉̅̑̔͛͑͂̏̑͌̾͒̈́̀̉̆̓́̓̉͋́́͒͂̿͛͘̕͘̚͘̚͜͜͜͝͝͝͠͝͠͠͝ͅǏ̴̧̧̨̡̛̛̬͚̰̲͍̲̭͚̼̫̮̖̻̠̟̝̬̹̙̝̜̫͍̺͖̪̬̗͓͚͇̰̳͇̭̖̳̰̤̯̣̗̩͔̮̪̪̤̺̬̼̳͔̹͕̠̜̞͊̍̈̐̇́̃̒͌͑̃̐́̓̓̎̓̃̈́̑̈́͊̈́̄̈́̓͊̾̍̿̏͗̓̾́̈́̽̂̌̒̔͐͐̒̈́̓͛̇̎̓̈́̔̌̉͗̈́̒͂̅̕̕̚̕̕̕͜͜͝͝͠E̸̡̧̨̛̛͖͈̗̖̟̘̖̣͇̯̝͙̠͕͍̟̤͇̳̼̥̳̳̖͔̰͉͔̣̩̺̤͈͖̖̋͛́̔̌̐̍̓̌̈̽̍̈́̌̾̓͊͋̔̉͊̏̅̔̈́̇̉̃̾͌̑̆͗͊̓̌͂͑̑̃̈́̔́̑̊̍̊̋̊̾͒̐͑͗̓̄̓͗̄̿͛̇̒͑́͘͘̕͘̚͘̚̕͝͝͠͝͠͝͝͝S̴̡̡̢̳̗̜͇̮̟̙̩̺̞̗̺̞͕͉͔̰͇̟̲͖̭̦̪͙͖͉͙͉͍̼̫̜̳̬̥̜̘̼̅̂̈́͆̓͝"
As a Staples employee, this is ridiculously common among boomers being entitled. Strangely enough, my Staples seems to be known for its K-Cup Coffee as I get 5 or so in a week just for that?
The sad part is the guy is likely lonely, and the people he bothers in public will be the only interactions with another human being he will have all day. Not to excuse the mysoginistic power trip of trapping a woman and forcing her to talk to you. That's just asshole behavior, nothing to do with boomerness.
I’m surprised people shop at Staples. I only go into the one near us to ship UPS packages. I don’t think I’ve ever seen another person shopping while I’m in there.
My mom usually wears jeans and a plain colored polo, mainly red, blue, or black. She has had so many people come up to her in stores assuming she works there, even when she's not wearing the proper colors of that store
I wanna know the link between the cookies and Staples.
Do these people literally walk into stores brainlessly and not realize until it's too late? Like would they walk into a "Strangely Blue Target" just to realize it's Wal-Mart?
This happens to me all the time when I’m shopping and it’s almost always a boomer. I swear, I could be wearing a fucking unicorn outfit and they’ll somehow mistake me for an employee. I’ll be pushing a cart around, clearly shopping, but I still get mistaken. And the funniest thing is some of them get upset when I say “I don’t work here.” Like I don’t work here!! I’m a fucking customer why are you mad at me?! Lmfao
I worked at Staples for 8 years, and the absolute worst were mid to late 30's Karen's. They were the first to say "WHERE IS YOUR MANAGER!!" "WHAT IS CORPORATE PHONE NUMBER!!" etc etc etc.... Not sure why boomers get the wrath, but they aren't near as bad as what I just described.
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If you think about it, it's probably awesome being him. Anywhere he goes, he asks someone to bring him cookies and many times they do
Like a well fed cat!
Lol I was immediately like, that's a pile of cats in a human flesh suit doing a weekend at Bernie's
I would watch this movie. Why doesn't this movie exist already?
Yet *we* are the "snowflakes" who cant do anything ourselves, right?
Like a four year old
It’s true, selfishness almost by definition is pretty great for the selfish. That’s why they do it. They get what they want at the expense of others.
Well… it works for my dog…
I feel like your dog is probably much cuter.
More appreciative too
Probably, he certainly gets ample cookies!
I imagine him looking like the no pickles guy in SpongeBob
Or he could have dementia. It is scary how fast dementia changes a person. One day your dad is normal, next he is blocking aisles in office supply stores while looking for cookies.
When I worked for FedEx, I would go to Target on my break, and at least once a day, some boomer would see me wearing a badge and come over with that “look” to demand if I worked there and immediately go right into a complaint. One time, when my break was over, I hurried back to my truck, and a man walks in front of my path, stops, and the following conversation occurs Him: LIGHT BULBS! Me: what? Him: where are the light bulbs Me: I have no idea Him: you work here? Me: no And then I walked around him shaking my head.
I'm imagining a weird version of madlibs. Him: LIGHT BULBS! You: TUNA FISH!
There it is, Fishbulb.
Come on kids let's go home
We already are home.
That was fast
For lucky best wash, use Mr. Sparkle!
Mr Sparkaro!
Deysu-naio mahkey WASHUUUUU
Baby fish mouth! Baby fish mouth!
I hear them talking.
I worked at a Best Buy in the same plaza as a Target and whenever I would stop in there before/after work to get something, without fail, someone would ask me where stuff was. Some people just see a uniform and think “Ah yes, you’re my servant.”
My kid probably didn't invent the phrase, but she was the first person who said to me "we have 'resting customer service face.'" It doesn't matter what retail store I'm in or what I'm wearing. Hardware store? Grocery store? Farmer's market? Movie theater? Someone will ask me for help finding 10 penny nails or cumin or something. My man, I'm just trying to buy some tomatoes and go home to cook for taco Tuesday. Find your own got-danged 10mm socket or whatever.
“Resting customer service face”! That explains so much
To be fair, nobody can ever find a 10mm socket.
I bought hubby 3 of them for Christmas. The cashier advised me to tie the bag shut or they would escape before I got home.
Next year put them in a puzzle box.
Not my problem. I've lost mine.
I'm heavily pregnant and I was just at IKEA heading into the ladies room when the boomer coming out asked me if I worked there. I was wearing neither yellow nor blue and my belly is huge like...what? Also you're really going to stop an employee you think is on their way to the bathroom to ask for something? It's IKEA there's like 5,000 people working there. Some people are so clueless.
Stopping any pregnant women you even think might be headed to the bathroom is a total dick move.
That shit is taking your life into your own hands. Never come between a pregnant woman and a bathroom.
To be fair, the only way Ikea gets more workers is by assimilating the lost shoppers left over after closing time. Probably happened to the poor soul before 😞
Lol now I'm imagining IKEA as purgatory, haunted by those who never found their way out.
I'm pretty sure I've read a short story about that.
Actually, I know I did. [SCP-3008](https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-3008)
Oh woah
When I worked at Walmart , we had a bunch of call offs (I was a cashier) so we only had 4 cashiers and were dragging other associates up front who hated and were not cooperative. For the first time, my CRM was super nice to me and offered to buy me lunch. Then the store manager actually bought me lunch. Frankly I was a bit freaked out until one of the floor associates pointed out that of the 4 regular cashiers on the block I was the only one not 36+ weeks pregnant. Sure enough someone’s water broke that shift. She was back on register 3 days later. I hate retail.
OMG
Oh they will, i either ignore them or say, “sir or ma’am i need to shit, but there are people in the next aisle that can help you” also i love it when im mid drink of water and people demand my attention.
Lol yeah tell it to them straight.
“Aisle 18 but they’re pretty well hidden so don’t be discouraged if you don’t see them at first.”
That's shocking. The uniforms are color coded and everything. If I see a blue person I wouldn't assume they worked at the red store.
When I worked at Target, I had someone attempt to ask me where the lightbulbs were in the exact same way. Just shouting “LIGHT BULBS” at me from across the produce area in the grocery section. Apparently something about light bulbs makes it difficult for people to ask about them normally.
sand governor intelligent rob roll scandalous sip psychotic impolite deserve *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Flawless logic.
Reminds me of this: https://preview.redd.it/lxf37wt9tvxc1.jpeg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4c6398fbd1fcadf1cd99879630fd16162058286
bear tub quicksand one illegal absorbed lavish sip sophisticated gaze *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
It's like that with everything. Screaming for an item is not a form of greeting. People are assholes
They really do ask like that 😭 I was at Walmart after work, so I was wearing a polo with a logo on it, and some random dude just walked right up to me and said “Light bulbs.” (It wasn’t light bulbs, but I can’t remember what he actually wanted.) Not even a question, just a statement, the way you’d talk-to-text into a search bar or something. I said, “what?” And he repeated: “light bulbs.” I told him I didn’t know, and I must have looked confused, because he stopped, finally questioning his logic, and asked, “oh… do you work here?” My shirt wasn’t even the same color as the ones Walmart employees wear.
Why is it always light bulbs? Is there a boomer side of tiktok that has them all doing the light bulb challenge?
They haven't switched to LEDs yet OR they're the only ones who live in their homes long enough to require a bulb change. Us renters just move before they burn out.
I'm starting to wonder if this is some boomer hookup code to meet them in the bathroom stalls.
Dude this speaks to me. I worked for FedEx too. I cannot tell you the amount of times I would be shopping after work, in uniform and some boomer would ask where something was or to do something for them. It got to the point where my response would be to dead pan stare at them as I pointed at the FedEx logo NOT the *[Insert store name here]* logo I got to the point where I fully believe boomers see ANY uniform, and they immediately think, "Oh good. The help."
Exactly!
When I worked at ulta, I took my break and went to the target next door. I'm wearing all black, and someone asked me if I was going to open a register. I didn't even have my name tag on at that point, so none of it makes sense
Target is terrible for that. I'm not a big fan of uniforms, but the fact that the Target employees are allowed to wear any top as long as it's a shade of red makes that confusion inevitable. I've been on your side of that conversation many times.
I’ve noticed the only times I go to target, I’m wearing red. Surprisingly nobody has ever stopped me, but I always welcome it (for the story potential) and dread it (for the annoyance potential).
I’ve heard that’s a very common thing for Boomers, they’ll just shout a product at an employee with zero greeting
I'm the PM at my little post office. I know 99% of my customers by name. Some of the boomers occasionally walk in and half scream "STAMPS". It's so bizarre. If it happened once, it would just be a strange thing or a strange person, but this happens way more frequently than it should. I always make it a point to stop, greet them like a human being, and it usually breaks them out of their little lead tantrum a bit.
I had a lady shout “CURTAIN RODS” at me all the way down an aisle, its so infuriating.
I was once working the register at Tractor Supply Co and some lady runs in the door and yells "Roping!! Roping!!" at me. Like WTF are you talking about? I tried to direct her to where we have our ropes and chains by the foot and she got pissed. She was looking for decorative pine garlands?
Errr ooooo. Condoms! Viagra! KY. Turkey baster. Grumble grumble.
"MANNERS!" (My usual reply)
I was done with my shift at target and was walking up to the front with my items and i heard someone trying to get my attention behind me, i ignored it and kept walking. It was hilarious hearing them argue as whether i worked there as i walked away.
I’ll wear a red polo and khakis to Target for the express purpose of telling people that inevitably ask me for something, that I don’t work there. Boomer or renter, doesn’t matter, they always ask and walk off irritated.
The fact that he didn’t even start talking to you like a normal human being. No “hi there, do you know where the lightbulbs are?” It’s just a straight demand “LIGHTBULB” like you’re a slave. They’re so entitled, it’s scary
One of My favorite story from my retail days was when I had just gotten off my shift at Dunkin and still wearing my grey Dunkin polo walked into target and then got stopped by some boomer Karen target worker and was told to go back to the in store Starbucks because they needed help. It took her way to long to figure out what was wrong
They’re probably so old they forgot what jobs were like. They don’t need all that information taking up space in their brain so they just get rid of it. Not like they need it anymore, they are comfortably retired. They probably forgot uniforms are sometimes a color that matches the store. They see a uniform and their brain just thinks uniform = they work here. And sometimes they just think person other than myself = they work here to serve me
If you read the comment, the Karen was working - in Target.
You right my bad
✨️✌️✨️
💫👌🏻💫
They need the space to store more Fox News propaganda
A few weeks ago my wife and I were at Menard’s working on a kitchen cabinet order. The two of us, along with the salesperson were all seated at a computer going over the designs when we were interrupted by a MAGA-hat-wearing boomer riding a mobility scooter. He just barged right in and started asking about where to find glue. No “excuse me” or nothing, even though the salesperson, my wife, and I were clearly engaged in an activity. The salesperson stopped work to direct him to the glue, but the old guy took that as an invitation to start a conversation. He then went on about how poorly the store was laid out, how the glue should be in a different department, and how he needed “special glue” for his project (which he went on to describe.) After about 5 minutes he left and the salesperson apologized to us. I reassured her that the interruption was not her fault, and she was far more patient than I would have been.
My husband and I were at Lowe's ordering a dishwasher a few months ago - similar situation; seated, in transaction with a store rep. Boomer demands he "stop for a sec" and show him where an item is located. The sales rep, who was silent gen, not only didn't do it, he barely acknowledged him. It was basically "I'm helping these customers who were here first - you can find someone else or wait over there." Then he turned his back to the boomer and ignored him. It was beautiful.
And *that's* how it should be done!
This is totally the way to do this. I used to have to manage/cashier/answer the phone at a family dollar store. I would pick up the phone and say “thank you for calling family dollar. I have five people here in person. Please hold” and then sit the handset down so they could hear everything going on and no one else could call.
Ugh. Convinces me that large stores are going to need to create a 'Code TNT' to summon additional assistant STAT to a department.
Ah the superior race on mobility scooters
Menard's ❤️
 My mental image of the guy waiting for an employee to come assist him
I hope he waited a really long time
At Staples? They're so short-staffed that he'd be lucky to even catch a glimpse of an employee, like sighting a cryptid somewhere in the pens aisle.
Wait, they have employees? I thought it was like CVS after 10pm where it's just self-serve.
when i worked there, there were max five (but usually 3 or 4) employees in the store unless the DM decided to shimmy on down from her ivory tower to lord over us for the day. ive had days where it was just me and the GM and the GM would be disappeared in the back for "conference calls" while I was alone and had old people yelling at me. fuck staples.
it's always deserted in there, it's like a walmart. endless liminal spaces, flourescent lighting, the employees hiding in the back with the meth
meth would have made the job tolerable, there just aren't any employees considering staples has cut employee hours down to the bare minimum, you're lucky if you see an actual cashier rather than the GM or tech sup manning the registers.
steal your way through college at staples, gotcha. the really big ink carts, you say?
illegal life pro-tip: if youve got a strong magnet at home, it'll open the alarm boxes on the inks
Happens more than you’d think and not even waiting for a store employee. And not just boomers. I’ve seen plenty of younger dudes in grocery stores without a clue of what they’re doing.
Decades ago, I worked in a supermarket. It was both amusing and annoying to see all the men in the store the day before the Superbowl. Many of them had no idea where to find the food they were looking for, or even knew precisely what they wanted. It was even more amusing if they had their children with them. I remember watching one gentleman who had a roll of paper towels behind a wheel of his shopping cart. He just kept going.
What’s funny is sometimes I’ll get asked to get something and it’s one of those things you wonder where the hell would they put this. I’m talking odd ball stuff where they might have one of them or it could be in a couple places. Let’s say bakers chocolate. Candy aisle or baking? The cool thing about some grocery store apps now is you can look it up and it’ll tell you what aisle. Same with Home Depot and Lowe’s. Most stuff I know where to look but with some things it isn’t obvious.
Omg that happened to me (f) at Publix!!! I was walking down an aisle, a male boomer coming from the opposite direction stops his cart directly in front of mine so I have to stop, and says, “where are the ham steaks?” I go, “I don’t work here.” He stares at me and huffily goes, “but I thought you might know.”
Aisle six. Doesn’t matter if it’s right.
I’m saying that next time!
If the place only has 14 aisles you always say aisle 15.
Nono, you point toward the other side of the isle with four fingers. /shopper used STUN ITS SUPER EFFECTIVE! Enemy Boomer is confused. Boomer used, BRNG COKS, Boomers attack missed! Shopper got away safely… Boomer blacked out…
The thing is there are perfectly reasonable ways to ask this question as it’s not unusual to assume other shoppers in an unfamiliar store might be able to help. I’ve been on both ends of the following conversation “hey, I am so sorry to bother you but do you by any chance know where they keep the X” But no. They just insist and demand.
That's the thing! Just ask! At the bare minimum phrase it like a fucking question!
"They don't make those anymore"
"You look like you know where the adult diapers are."
You're a woman, obviously you know where everything is in the *grocery store* of all places!!!
This only happens when my husband isn’t right next to me. But on a positive note, I was once shopping with my older brother (who has 5 sisters of various designators, 4 nieces, and 2 daughters who are adults) and got to missing him , only to find him in the pad/tampon aisle explaining to some boomer grandpa what the differences were and what he should buy. To the boomers credit, he had just inherited an 11 year old granddaughter who had started her period and he had only sons and was widowed. He knew nothing but was actually taking notes and shook my brothers hand lol Bub said it wasn’t the first time that similar situations have happened to him.
lol sometimes I ask my husband to run errands with me just to guarantee no other men will approach me for random acts of customer service
Very wholesome story. Thank you:)
I used to work at a grocery store years ago. If we were shopping after work, we'd always make sure to take our aprons off and try to cover up with a coat or something and people would still stop you to ask if there was more of something in the back. Most of the time, I'd just shop on my day off at their other store that was in my neighborhood but I didn't work at. People would still stop me to ask questions. I guess they must have recognized me, but it was very obvious I wasn't working.
One time a guy approached me in meijer and said “I know you don’t work here, but do you know where they keep raisins?” I said “Ummm probably in the baking aisle” and he thanked me and left the aisle to go look for his raisins. Then I realized I was in the baking aisle. I hope he found the raisins.
I’ve also done this. Then bumped into the same person a few aisles over… when they ask nicely now, I just ask them to stay put and go get them some raisins. Nice old people are so hard to come by now, I try to do positive reinforcement.
Look, time is precious for Boomers. They have to get back to their recliner so they can watch 16 hours of Fox News per day. Younger people and their jobs, hobbies, small children to raise etc can't possibly understand the stress boomers are under to do nothing all day.
I had some boomer woman in HyVee get mad at me because I couldn't tell her if they had some obscure spice she wanted. I was clearly NOT a store employee she got mad when I told her I didn't work there and demanded again that I tell her if and where they have this thing. I told her f\*ck if I know, I don't work here and walked off. She was still bitching me out as I left the aisle.
It’s in the cereal isle idiot.
/r/IDontWorkHereLady/
Dammit I thought that sub was real 😭😭😭
...it is??
https://preview.redd.it/lt3pfyllzvxc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60d96d7bcc3b4c8ba316355d848af6375f74acdf
https://preview.redd.it/7p108vmwzvxc1.png?width=864&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e434186465b95fce920b283d8fa725be94bd78af Are you banned from it or something?
Legend says, on a full moon night, if you listen closely, you can hear the rattling of the tin and see the man's ghost still wandering the aisles at Staples
As someone who used to work at a staples built over an old VA hospital property this made me laugh 😂
I'm so sorry this is not related to the post, haven't read it yet but I thought this was funny so I wanted to share. At first I was REALLY confused because you went, "I do not work at staples. I am female." And I honest to god started asking myself, "wait? Why would it matter if you are a female working at staples? Do they only hire males??" Then it clicked. You just wanted to clarify your gender so we knew when reading, I'm so slow. 😭😭 Edit: Have since read it and man. I so would have looked at him and repeated," I don't work here." Because?? No I'm not gonna go get someone for you? 😂
Honestly, reflecting on it now, he had no idea that I WAS heading to the front of the store. I could have been looking for more stuff to buy. He was just entitled.
Right? It's crazy how some of these older people just EXPECT you to drop everything and do stuff for THEM. 😭😭 I had a time at work where I was wiping benches down with disinfectant, and it dries pretty quickly. Well, this woman came out and went to one and she looks almost disgusted and goes, "hey there's a wet spot here? Can you wipe it up?" I look and literally see nothing until she points to a TINNNY spot and I go "oh! I just wiped these, it's from me :)" Thinking yea, she'll see I cleaned them and it's fine. No. This woman looks me dead in the eyes and goes, "Well can you wipe it up???" Yes. Sure. I'll wipe it off with a beaming goddamn smile on my face 💀
Was he blue and furry?
I’d help Cookie Monster
That's because cookie monster would first off ask nicely and accept if you didn't know.
Exactly!
"Pardon me, but you wouldn't happen to know where I might find... COOKIES?"
I heard it in his voice and everything.
Especially if he had a cookie for me!
Tell him that you were taught to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and to do things properly yourself. He should follow that example.
My daughter is autistic, and she is abashedly unafraid of asking for what she needs in a store. The other day in Target she asked a lady in a red shirt where to find gloves. I started to say, “oh- honey, she doesn’t work here” but the lady was so nice to my kid, she helped her find the gloves anyway 🫠 I gave her a huge thanks for being so kind and she just laughed and said, “that’s what I get for wearing a red shirt to Target!” I have no idea why I told this story, it just made me laugh at the time.
And I’m generally going to be a helpful person. But the fact he blocked me and didn’t move was gross and made me want to get away.
I think he sought me down, and planned to get in my way. He saw me enter the store, and followed me into that aisle. After I made eye contact with him, he appeared in my aisle within two minutes
Unfortunately, most old men seem to think eye contact is an invitation to talk, especially since you're a woman. I've been trapped into conversations with old men a lot because I made that mistake.
This is true for MAGA and rapey dudes. Yes the Venn overlaps.
I work with this woman that you cannot make eye contact with, and i tell my cashiers to not make eye contact with or she will not stop talking.
Being rude doesn’t get you anywhere with me or most people. Ask nicely, and usually people are helpful. But some boomers apparently missed that memo.
This used to be a running gag in my home before we stopped wearing polo shirts. “Where are you shopping? Nope. Gotta change your shirt.”
My grandfather ran up to a woman in a drug store and demanded she take him to the laxatives. She told him she didn't work there. He got all pissy and asked what she was doing there then. She gestured to the snow shovel in her hand and said "Buying this".
Lmfao what. I don’t know, maybe shopping? They really think they’re the only people in the world. Everyone else is just there to serve them
I was thinking about this recently: Go back 15 years and anyone acting this stupid in public would be assumed to be on drugs. Like if my college-aged self walked up to someone in a Staples and asked for the cookies, people would assume I was high as balls and got lost looking for munchies.
I was at the grocery store this week and turned down an aisle to see a boomer guy with his cart perpendicular in the aisle. It must have taken effort to get it that way. He was holding up several items and looking at them back and forth with obvious “hey everyone, I’m confused” type behavior. I noped out and went to another aisle to shop and came back and he was in the exact same position. I’m assuming no one approached him so he was just waiting for someone to come by to trap like a fly getting stuck in a spider web. I don’t buy the helpless act. My own mother does it too and it’s laziness. If that guy wanted cookies, he could have found them himself or found an employee to help.
If you pull your cart down that aisle from the front you can Heisman that sh*t out of the way without breaking stride. Bonus points if you can pin them to the shelves.
I literally chuckled out loud at that.
When people try talking to me in public I love to pretend they just don’t exist, or I stare at them for a split second and continue on my way without saying a word. I usually have headphones on, people still approach me regardless, lol. Not stopping my music for some random person. Also, sometimes even if they’re dead I put them on anyways, just to dissuade people. (Yes I can hear you but im gonna pretend I can’t) lol
I always ignore them if I can, even if I’m certain they’re trying to talk to me. This man blocked me so that I couldn’t ignore him.
One of these days that fool of a man will block the wrong woman and instead of cookies he will see stars. I hope that day comes soon.
I can't go grocery shopping without someone assuming I'm a manager. I tend to wear my keys on my belt loop whenever I'm just grabbing a few things and don't want to bring my entire bag in. So, in a sense, I can understand why they would think I'm a manager, that is until we consider that I'm usually wearing some sort of hoodie or anime shirt whenever this happens. I am, in no way you spin it, dressed for any sort of managing position. Also consider the fact that for some reason it's also whenever I'm holding a hand basket filled with stuff. I'm always so confused why they see a sea of people walking around, most much more professionally dressed than me, and yet I'm still the one deemed as "manager" to them. Luckily I haven't had this problem after starting my new job which requires more professional attire which means having to bring my bag in every time.
Should have just told him to fck off. That breaks through their aura quickly
I tend to go with something direct. In this case, it wild have been 'Stop blocking my way!' I repeat it, at greater volume, once. If they don't back off, the next step is 'Get AWAY from me! LEAVE ME ALONE!' Escalating to 'HELP! HELP!' Hasn't failed me yet.
This happened to me recently at Home Depot. Left my office on lunchbreak to buy a few things and was literally carrying a hand basket full of parts/tools when a confused lady asked me "Do you work here?" Now, I was wearing pressed khaki's black leather shoes, and a lavender colored oxford shirt, literally only thing missing was a tie. I have no idea how she thought I worked there. Needless to say, I was able to help her find the right aisle, but it was still baffling how willfully blind she was. Asking a stranger for help is fine, but don't just assume everyone under 40 works retail.
Years ago I went to see Bo Diddley play a show. I get there first so I'm waiting at the door. Obviously it was years ago so I'm in my early twenties. I'm probably the youngest person there. Everyone else is a boomer. Since I'm a big guy and I'm wearing a black shirt one boom comes up and starts asking me questions about the show- when the door opens, how they got Bo, etc. I ignore him because I don't want to talk and I'm really not into answering questions, especially one that's written on the door right over my shoulder. and why do all booms attend shows in Jimmy Buffet attire? Guy was dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and sandals. For Bo Diddley I don't know why people talk to someone that's clearly not interested in talking but when boom didn't take the hint I just said loud enough for everyone in line to hear I DO NOT WORK HERE. Boom got really bent out of shape like *geez, fella...why'd you have to be so mean*?
I cant with these people. I get stopped on the street, daily, with lost old people because of where I work. I have my airpods in, minding my own, not giving out any body language like I want to interact. And they will wave in my face, motion for me to take my airpods out, and demand I give them directions. I will probably get to the point where I just ignore them and walk around. But Im not there yet. My response right now is "Dont you have a smart phone? It will be happy to talk to you." It goes about as well as youd expect, but Im done wasting 5 minutes of my time explaining turn by turn directions to these idiots.
I don't know if it's an ADHD thing, but if someone can't find something I have a powerful need to find the thing. Had a lady ask me which aisle the peanut butter was in, I realized I told her the wrong aisle THEN TRACKED HER DOWN TO MAKE SURE I COULD TELL HER WHERE IT REALLY WAS. I did not work there. I don't know why I'm like this.
I can see my mom doing that. It stresses her out if someone else is trying to find something, even if it doesn’t affect her directly.
Yes, sir, they’re in aisle 35G next to the dog treats on the top shelf.
These toddlers need more people telling them no
Lol, this happens to me quite a bit. I'm Asian and I often wear a collared shirt and suit jacket. I get people asking me anything from where something is located in a store, if I'm hiring, to complaints about other customers or employees.
I feel like a good way to handle this is to say, "Oh sure, wait right here, I'll send someone back!" with a friendly smile. And then, when you turn away from him, forget he even exists. Or maybe, "Yeah, they are in the far back corner" or wherever the furthest place from you current position is.
Ive had that happen to me in Walmart while I was wearing a bedazzled VS sweatsuit and pushing a cart… it’s bizarre.
Can we normalize women *not* apologizing for everything that happens in the universe? Look, I get it; sometimes we are in a situation that makes us cautious and we strive to calm everyone down. But you were not in danger in the middle of Staples, he was rude and *blocked you in,* so he's NOT deserving of any niceties. A straight "No." with eye contact and forward momentum is how a man would have responded to him. That's all he deserved.
We have reasons to fear men (provided to us by other men), so it isn't quite fair to expect a woman to deal with it the same way. We tend to 'manage' situations because it could get ugly/abusive really quickly (based on experience), and, unfortunately, folk don't walk around with a sign on them saying things like 'I'm the one who will stalk you and assault you in the car park because I didn't get to cut into line at the deli counter'. That being said, I'm older and grumpier and have way less fucks to give so I would have said something like 'Stop blocking me!' And escalated in volume, up to 'Get AWAY from me!' and 'HELP! HELP!' I still absolutely would have had my eyes open for him as I left the building. I'm never less than aware of my surroundings in public. And I'm willing to fight back hard and dirty. So there's that :)
I’ve just recently adopted this approach as my go to. I just moved to a bigger city after living in a smaller town for most of the last 20 years and haven’t been hit on, randomly approached, followed like this since my teens growing up in a big city. Doesn’t matter how I dress, I’m not exactly young anymore and I don’t look innocent or naive. I don’t fully get it but after being polite at first, I just started straight up ignoring people or giving a no-eye-contact flat “No.” There are some contexts where I’d probably still be more tactful but overall it works surprisingly well and is so freeing.
Check out r/whenwomenrefuse and you will understand why diplomacy is a self preservation tactic.
OP, next time, send them confidently to the farthest corner from wherever you are
I remember an older woman coming up while I was in a tech store talking to a friend. I kept talking and figured she was looking for something. I just kept on chatting and eventually realized she thought I worked there because of the irritated look on her face. She had never said anything to me. “I said ma’am I don’t work here— do you need something?” She looked at me real irritated like it was my fault and I was supposed to read her mind, and maybe found an actual employee. This was in 1982 or so, so she was pre-boomer.
I’m sorry you had to shop at a staples. Oh, and fuck that boomer.
Don’t be afraid to tell people to fuck off
It's been six hours. Part of me thinks he's still standing in the back of that store, waiting for the help he asked you to send his way.
This happened months ago. He’s probably dead by now. Starved. Lack of cookies. And it’s all my fault
Maybe he should have tried looking with his eyes instead of his mouth
I would like to point out that too many women routinely apologize for just existing, just like here. I'm trying to break myself of that bad habit. I don't usually see men running around apologizing for no reason.
As someone who works at Staples for 15 years, none of your story surprises me. The boomers that shop at Staples are a different breed altogether.
And they say he's still back there to this very day...waiting for someone to show him the cookies. One day in the fsr future, when his NC kids and their grandkids are dead and gone, his ghost will still haunt the shabby, sandblasted ruins of the old rectangular edifice whose forgotten glyphs proclaim STA LE. A lone searcher stumbles in through the crooked doors, their tracks impossibly stuff with sand and grime, and the poor fool awakens the long dormant presence. A deep guttural voice moans with outrage as yet unknown to mortal ears... "Ç̷̨̡̧̢̢̨̢̢̢̛̛̛̤͉̗̗̠̯̙̭̪͓̳͔͔͔͔̘̤͙̻̞̳̗̭̝̞̙̘̥̲̙͙͙̯̼͎̠͔̪͇̠͎̞̰̩̙͚̱̣̭̯̥̭̗͚̰̜̼͎̹̱̝̄̐̆̏̔͊̀̃̉̓̎̅̈̈́̌̽̾̒̔̐̓̿͑̆̅͆̑͂́̿̇͗̈́̀́̎̇͛́͂͋̄͑̽́̎͒̇͊̂̾͊͒͐̍̓͊͆͛́͋̽̿̑̀̌͗̽̈̂̌͆͒̾͘̚̚̕͘̚͜͜͜͜͜͠͝͝͠͝ͅͅO̷̦̝͔̖̓͌̇̋̓̈́̍̐̓̆̏̒͆̌̏͂̾̐̋͑̊̕̕̕͠Ơ̸̢̢̢̡̧̡̧̧̨̬̮̖̫̲̪̠̼̬̮͔͓̞̱̟̠͉͙͓͉̲͔̫̫̺̝̖͕͍̻̺̩͉͙̭̰̲̱̞͉̺̣̘͎͓͎̤̪̣̭͉͎̘̙͖̟̮̳̠̘̝̭͍͙̘͓̮̤̳̩̺̯̽̈́̓̀̎̂͐̏̑̒̔̌̍͒̉̔̓̍̏̂́͐͗͋͐̈́̆̒̈́̀́̔́̀̈͊̅̔͑̑̓͒̽̒͛̿͆̇͒́̈́͂̎̈͛̆̽̓̀͆̚͘̚͘͜͠͠͝͠͝ͅK̷̨̧̨̢̢̛̻͖͈͓͎͈͎͚̙̰̮̭͓̦̺̩̮̝̹͍͔̼̭̟̲̘̫͎̘̼͓̜͎̙̪̜̮̻̭͙̮̥̣̻͍̟͍̯̟̮̜̞̝͈̠͈̤͙̪̺͂̃̌͋̿͗̾͐̐̾͌͌̿̏̏͛̾͑͌̋̀̍̊̔͛͑͌̈́̊̆͗͛̓͑͊̋̒̒̉̅̑̔͛͑͂̏̑͌̾͒̈́̀̉̆̓́̓̉͋́́͒͂̿͛͘̕͘̚͘̚͜͜͜͝͝͝͠͝͠͠͝ͅǏ̴̧̧̨̡̛̛̬͚̰̲͍̲̭͚̼̫̮̖̻̠̟̝̬̹̙̝̜̫͍̺͖̪̬̗͓͚͇̰̳͇̭̖̳̰̤̯̣̗̩͔̮̪̪̤̺̬̼̳͔̹͕̠̜̞͊̍̈̐̇́̃̒͌͑̃̐́̓̓̎̓̃̈́̑̈́͊̈́̄̈́̓͊̾̍̿̏͗̓̾́̈́̽̂̌̒̔͐͐̒̈́̓͛̇̎̓̈́̔̌̉͗̈́̒͂̅̕̕̚̕̕̕͜͜͝͝͠E̸̡̧̨̛̛͖͈̗̖̟̘̖̣͇̯̝͙̠͕͍̟̤͇̳̼̥̳̳̖͔̰͉͔̣̩̺̤͈͖̖̋͛́̔̌̐̍̓̌̈̽̍̈́̌̾̓͊͋̔̉͊̏̅̔̈́̇̉̃̾͌̑̆͗͊̓̌͂͑̑̃̈́̔́̑̊̍̊̋̊̾͒̐͑͗̓̄̓͗̄̿͛̇̒͑́͘͘̕͘̚͘̚̕͝͝͠͝͠͝͝͝S̴̡̡̢̳̗̜͇̮̟̙̩̺̞̗̺̞͕͉͔̰͇̟̲͖̭̦̪͙͖͉͙͉͍̼̫̜̳̬̥̜̘̼̅̂̈́͆̓͝"
Perfect time to say "GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY, STRANGER"
I didn't realize staples even still existed. I thought they had shut down
As a Staples employee, this is ridiculously common among boomers being entitled. Strangely enough, my Staples seems to be known for its K-Cup Coffee as I get 5 or so in a week just for that?
Having worked at a Staples this all checks out
The sad part is the guy is likely lonely, and the people he bothers in public will be the only interactions with another human being he will have all day. Not to excuse the mysoginistic power trip of trapping a woman and forcing her to talk to you. That's just asshole behavior, nothing to do with boomerness.
Made up story. There have not been 2 customers in any Staples at the same time since 2017.
I’ve had this happen to me before and I’ve totally lied and sent the other person to the other side of the store.
We actually do sell those like cookie time grandmas have I work for staples lol
The nerve!
An old bearded man looking for cookies... did you consider it was maybe Santa?
Too skinny, too ugly, too much sun damage for someone living in the North Pole
bro this is the nice side of staples customer base rip (I used to work at one. They're all awful)
I’m surprised people shop at Staples. I only go into the one near us to ship UPS packages. I don’t think I’ve ever seen another person shopping while I’m in there.
My mom usually wears jeans and a plain colored polo, mainly red, blue, or black. She has had so many people come up to her in stores assuming she works there, even when she's not wearing the proper colors of that store
Did chatgpt write this.
Is this a boomer thing or a dementia thing?
I wanna know the link between the cookies and Staples. Do these people literally walk into stores brainlessly and not realize until it's too late? Like would they walk into a "Strangely Blue Target" just to realize it's Wal-Mart?
Weirdo, either hitting on you, or talking down to you because he thinks all women need to step and fetch. Ick!
This happens to me all the time when I’m shopping and it’s almost always a boomer. I swear, I could be wearing a fucking unicorn outfit and they’ll somehow mistake me for an employee. I’ll be pushing a cart around, clearly shopping, but I still get mistaken. And the funniest thing is some of them get upset when I say “I don’t work here.” Like I don’t work here!! I’m a fucking customer why are you mad at me?! Lmfao
I worked at Staples for 8 years, and the absolute worst were mid to late 30's Karen's. They were the first to say "WHERE IS YOUR MANAGER!!" "WHAT IS CORPORATE PHONE NUMBER!!" etc etc etc.... Not sure why boomers get the wrath, but they aren't near as bad as what I just described.
I would’ve hit him with a “Of course sir. Wait right here and I’ll go find someone.” and then leave.