Quitting/putting collecting on pause

It used to bother me, but I mostly let it slide anymore, unless people are just really being a dick about it. The older I get, the more I see that most of the time, it really is either jealousy or curiosity that manifests itself badly. God knows I'm not the smoothest person when it comes to expressing myself at times. My biggest thing with the Super and his guys is I just don't like people in my personal space. I know it's literally their job, but for the most part, unless it's a super serious issue like this, I prefer to just figure out how to fix it myself. Especially in this day and age, my apartment is like the one place I have control over, and when I don't have control over it, I just feel wildly uncomfortable, and that's when I'm susceptible to the little things.

I anticipate tomorrow to be a particularly rough day, because not only will I have the guys back in my space, but I'm not allowed to use my shower or bathroom sink until the plumbing issue gets fixed. Joshy needs his hot showers, let me tell ya. They're lucky I'm still able to use the toilet, otherwise I'd just piss on them the moment I start to feel any judgement. You know, really assert my dominance and mark my territory.
 
The only a-hole experience that I have had as a collector was from a cashier at Wal-Mart. Early morning. On the way to work. Had found the helmeted Big Barda with the mega-rod held up. (Gives you an idea of how long ago it was. ) Paid. Bagged. The cashier comments: "I hope you enjoy your doll." I smiled as sweetly as I could and said: "I'm sure I will." And went to work. None of her business what I am buying. It's my money and my hobby.
 
The funniest comment I got from a cashier was buying Jakks LOD 2000 Sunny at KB in the mall. The heavy set black woman (not judging, just setting the scene) looks at the figure and says something like, "I have this same outfit at home." I thought that was so funny and unexpected and was so disappointed I had no game to come back with an equally witty comment. Even with the popularity of Marvel during the peak MCU years, wrestlers from 30-40 years ago tended to be the most frequent positive conversation starter at checkout.

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Yeah human nature is a funny thing.

I sometimes get "bothered" by those kinds of comments from cashiers, in the moment. However I never bother to respond because I know that by the time I hit the exit I'll have moved on to other thoughts. I think it has something to do with having worked in retail for more than half my life (until I had my own business). I know that sometimes cashiers are just making small talk, or genuinely trying to make a connection and fumbled it badly. So usually I don't respond, or if I do it is generally with a kind remark in return because I am assuming the best of the person. It is rare when I run across a cashier that I feel is being snide or rude with the comment, but it does happen.

What I find funny about human nature is when people make all kinds of excuses to cashiers about donating money, or will they sign up for a credit card, etc. The cashier, as others have said, is just doing their job. It is highly unlikely they actually care about why you do, or do not, want to donate, etc. Yet people, including some of my own family members, make so many weird excuses. I always tell them just say no and you'll see almost every time they just move on with the transaction. The extremely rare time you get someone ask why you just say because I am not interested. If they can't take the hint then maybe you get a bit rude about it to make a point and hopefully they get the hint. Again though those are extremely rare occasions.
 
canprime said:
Yeah human nature is a funny thing.

I sometimes get "bothered" by those kinds of comments from cashiers, in the moment. However I never bother to respond because I know that by the time I hit the exit I'll have moved on to other thoughts. I think it has something to do with having worked in retail for more than half my life (until I had my own business). I know that sometimes cashiers are just making small talk, or genuinely trying to make a connection and fumbled it badly. So usually I don't respond, or if I do it is generally with a kind remark in return because I am assuming the best of the person. It is rare when I run across a cashier that I feel is being snide or rude with the comment, but it does happen.

What I find funny about human nature is when people make all kinds of excuses to cashiers about donating money, or will they sign up for a credit card, etc. The cashier, as others have said, is just doing their job. It is highly unlikely they actually care about why you do, or do not, want to donate, etc. Yet people, including some of my own family members, make so many weird excuses. I always tell them just say no and you'll see almost every time they just move on with the transaction. The extremely rare time you get someone ask why you just say because I am not interested. If they can't take the hint then maybe you get a bit rude about it to make a point and hopefully they get the hint. Again though those are extremely rare occasions.
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Oh yeah, having worked in retail a bunch, I have sympathy for a lot of those folks. I know that 95% of the time, the small talk or them asking me to donate or sign up for something is corporate mandated. I don't know if it's still true (or ever was), but I heard that Trader Joe's cashiers are required to pick something out of whatever you're buying and comment on it. Personally, that sounds like a nightmare.

I'll usually at least round up my change to donate if I can. If that's an option, and I genuinely can't donate anything at the time, I'll just say "Sorry, I can't right now." and that usually does it. Hell, most of the time, the employee is the one hitting the prompts on the pinpad and cancelling the donation before I can even react to it. They definitely just want to get people out of there. 😅 Most of the odd interactions have usually come when I was a cashier or to-go person at a restaurant; I don't even know how many times the customer would get to the tip screen and just flat out ask "You think you deserve a tip on this?" or "Why is it asking me to tip, all you did was bag it up?" All tipping arguments aside (because that's a hill I will die on), it always just amused me, because they always treated it like I, the lowly employee, am the one who made the rules and programmed the checkout screens.

Anyway. Point being. Do what makes you happy. "No" is a full sentence, you don't always have to explain yourself, especially to people who make a point of not understanding others.
 
What gets me are the people that work for AT&T or whoever roaming the electronics section of Target and Walmart. I get it's their job, but when they ask "How are you doing today?" and I say "No thank you" just move on. I've had them continue to try the sale.
 
Chooch555 said:
What gets me are the people that work for AT&T or whoever roaming the electronics section of Target and Walmart. I get it's their job, but when they ask "How are you doing today?" and I say "No thank you" just move on. I've had them continue to try the sale.
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Oh god, there's been one that's taken up residence in my local Target. They've been there for months now, and even though I always tell them no thank you, they keep trying to break me down. They'll follow me halfway down the aisle asking their follow-up questions. I've started taking the long way to the collector's section because of it. 😅 I used to canvas for a short time, I know how demeaning and infuriating it can be, so again, I have sympathy, but still. Nothing can entice me, even a measly $5 gift card.
 
Chooch555 said:
Yeah, I walk through the Collector section, down the back of electronics then cut through bikes to get to Toys and they still hunt me down.
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Honestly if they keep hounding me after I clearly and politely say "no" I'm liable to even more clearly and much less politely tell them to fuck off. I get it, we all live in a capitalist hellscape, but you can afford not to be the worst kind of salesperson with that job. It's not goign to move the baseline. At some point it hits me like the street preachers I see every year. I'm polite with you proselytizing right up until you're starting to harsh my day and then I'm going to get real rude real fast.
 
I feel for those folks too, but damn it gets so annoying to see them and just know you're going to have to interact in a non-solicited sales pitch. My cellphone is paid for by my employer, there's literally no point in spending precious time with them. And it's also annoying that you get hit up for something completely unrelated to the store you're at. Like, I didn't come into Target because i was looking for a new cellphone service.

Alt said:
I have the opposite experience. It's the cashiers or employees asking me if I want a gift receipt and I tell them, "Oh hell no, this is for me."

They're always down. But I'm also The Rizzard of Oz.
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haha right? Im the same: "no, these children's toys are for me sir".

But hey, at least the cashiers at my Targets stopped pressing people to sign up for a credit card (while there's a line of people behind you lol).
 
I don't think I've ever had a rough experience at a cash register over toys. Condoms as a teenager, absolutely, but not toys :ROFLMAO:

I did have one guy, about my age, look at something as he rang it up and he said something like "they didn't make 'em like this when I was a kid" and he sort of marveled at it for a second. Immediately that scene from Step Brothers entered my brain, when they're playing with the night vision goggles:

"Can you imagine if we'd had these as kids?"
"Even better...we have 'em when we're 40!"

I also tend to miss obvious signs, Mrs Smallville teases me all the time for missing "obvious" flirting from women when we're out and about, so it's possible I'm just not paying close enough attention. I've had people in my home make comments, though. Very infuriating.
 
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A couple of years ago, I had a romance with a co-worker that became a serious intentional relationship. She was in the process of getting divorced, but for her it had been over for a while. Complicated adult things with spousal abuse and money.

Now obviously divorce sucks. I know firsthand. So this guy was having a difficult time with it, who wouldn't, your whole world is up ended.

But.

It still makes me laugh even telling you now, that when he learned she was truly moving on and already in a relationship with me, he must have creeped my Instagram.

Because she told me he had a huge sobbing emotional breakdown during one of their lawyer meetings where he kept repeating, "But she's leaving me for the action figure guy."

My defining quality.
 
Ugh, the in-store salesmen.

I have a few different approaches to them if I am simply unable to avoid them by taking a longer route.

1) Wife and I pretend to be in the middle of a low volume, but intensely heated argument. Lots of gritted teeth, and broad, exaggerated gestures, and "No! NO, that is, that is NOT what you said". It looks super angry, but usually, we are discussing what we want to grab for dinner that night. I love that I have a wife that has no sense of embarrassment, and is game for these things.

2) I pretend to be deaf--voice and all. I know, I'm going to Hell.

3) I get a glimpse at who they're with, and wouldn't you know it? I already have them. For everything. Cable, internet, and phone.

4) Kind of goes hand in hand with 1, but I am in a very intense business phone call. "HEY! Listen to me right God damn now! That entire contract was supposed to be closed on Monday, and it is now Wednesday, and I asked you to follow-up with them last Friday! The meeting is supposed to be tomorrow, so what exactly are you doing? Are you TRYING to screw me??".

Fool-proof plans. They may try to make meager attempts at talking to you, I still get the occasional half wave, but it certainly makes it easier to ghost pass them. And I'm at least entertaining myself.
 
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