"Walk A Mile In My Shoes"

Well, not my good shoes.  I can’t even walk a mile in those!!!  Maybe about 200 hundred feet but it’s not a pretty sight to see me wobbling my way over to the table from the door way.  I look good though… when I’m sit down and cross my legs.  Then you can really appreciate my good shoes..!

 But ok, that’s  not what I mean. Everyone should spend a day in my retail working shoes.  Because if you did, you’d be a whole lot easier to deal with when you went shopping.  I’ve worked retail most of my adult life and I can tell you some stories but I’m going to stick to the basic premise of appropriate behavior guidelines.  If you see an old friend in the store that you happen to be in, wave, say Hi and get OUT of the very narrow isle that you’re standing in.  Why? Because, though I’m sure that Fred has a refreshingly detailed story about his last proctologist’s  visit, I have to get to the other side of where you are standing so that I can help the lady who thinks if she just shouts out “Where are the potato mashers?” that someone will come running to her aid. The fourth time that I say excuse me to you may sound a little snippy but it’s only because the lady is getting really loud at this point.  “Do you work here?”   “No, I say in my head, I pay them to let me come play with this cash register every day”  But out loud I say, “yes, can I help you?”.    “Do you have this napkin in any other colors?”  “THERE ARE 37 DIFFERENT COLORS ON THAT COUNTER OVER THERE!!!!!  WHAT OTHER COLOR COULD YOU POSSIBLY WANT?????” (that's in my head as well)  “Well, no ma’am, that is all we have in stock but I will spends 40 some odd man hours to search out any other possible colors that might exist in the Universe of napkins and see if I can get it in for you”.  (smile)    “How much is this candy bar?”      “Sir?  See that little price tag right there on that candy bar?  That would be how much it cost.”                I think you get my point.

So you should all work retail for a week,      and food service because that one is really a trip. You would not yell at your server because your sandwich isn’t in your little paws yet because you’d realize… she doesn’t make your sandwich.  She only brings it too you when the person in the kitchen puts it up in the little window.  And you'd know that if you really bug her... your sandwich will stay in that window a little longer than it should.

I should probably work as a telephone assiter for Verizon.  Because I KNOW that I have verbally abused those guys.  And it’s not right.  I'm not saying I'm sorry.  I just know it's not right. But I’m not really sure where these people are that I'm talking to at Verizon.  I don’t usually understand what they are saying other that “you must pay the charge on your bill” and “I’m sorry that you have no phone service but I don’t have a script for  what else to say… Good bye”.  I swear at them.  I also swear at the automated computer lady.   When she says  “I’m sorry.  I did not hear that last number.”  I swear at her and say “That’s because you don’t have any fucking ears!!!  You’re a machine!!!!”  Then she hangs up on me.  So I should walk in the shoes of a telephone person (if they had any feet!!!) so that I would be more understanding and compassionate about what they have to go through every day.

Don’t get me wrong, when I say to my customers, “Have a great day”.  I mean it.  Sometimes, though, I just want them to have a great day somewhere else.

Maybe I’ll walk in your shoes for a day.. I’d like to try out those platform, dove grey, snakeskin peeptoes, size 6  . (You sit all day..right?)

"feisty? chubby?short? seriously!"

My son spent the weekend with us.  Well, not the whole weekend, just enough time to have dinner,and  drop off his little family guy for me to babysit. Anyway, he mentioned to my boyfriend, Joe,  during a private conversation, that I was much "calmer"......  very long pause...... I'm sure that there was a bit more following that comment but I was not privy to the exchange.  You see, Joe has only seen "the storm" three times (and only twice was it directed to him)  He dosen't want to see it again. He added no futher commentary to me on my "calmness".
So.. I start thinking about what my son THINKS I used to be like???? Did he think of me as some sort of raging maniac? OK, I'll admitt it.. there have been a few times when the actions of my sons have instigated a torrent of verbiage mostly starting with  "What in Gods name where you THINKING?????" But really... I was calm most of the time!   Having three sons does change a person... I have super powers I never dreamed of, because, seriously,  unless you are of a saintly nature or on some major mind altering drugs... you're gonna lose it a few times with 3 sons!  And they're not going to think your very "calm"
So I start thinking about other people, other than my sons, and wonder what they really think of me.  Very often, when I run into someone I haven't seen in awhile, they inverably say "Wow... You've lost some weight!!"  Which would be very cool if I had actually lost weight.. but I haven't.  I pretty much weigh the same as I did in high school give or take a couple of pounds.  What does this mean?  Only that people have the perception of me that I'm kinda chubby and are surprised when I'm not.
Recently, I had dinner with one of my nutrition clients.  Upon seeing me in a social situation with fun clothes on, she said... "Wow" (again "wow")  "I didn't realise you were so.... long pause.... "cute".  I smiled.  She didn't mean "cute" she meant short.  People??? The words "cute"  and "short" are not interchangeble!
I just went to my 40th high school reunion.  some people said.. "Cathie, you look exactly the same as you did in high school!!!"  What did they mean... short and  chubby???? and when I look into the mirror... I do not see a 58 year old woman.  I see waaaaaay younger than that! But I know.. I do not look like I did in High School... I look 40 years older.  Joe went to High School with me and he looks NOTHING like he did, he looks way better.   People were dropping their jaws in surprise as they read his name tag.  Makes you wonder how they saw him back then.
How the worlds see us is very different that what we think we are projecting.  I had no idea you all thought I was a feisty, sort of chubby, short, kind of cute old person.  Well, maybe you're right.  but if you don't mind.. the next time we meet could you just go easy on me... this calm thing is pretty nice.