Wednesday, November 19, 2008

favoritism DOES exist. it's the spin cycle!

once again, sprite's keeper has convinced me to participate in a little somethin' she calls
the spin cycle ...

this weeks topic is:
favoritism DOES exist.

in which she challenges us to dust off (out?) our archives and find a post (or posts?) that we loved, that remarkably ... potentially ... quite honestly, no one else has ever seen.

and this is my (current) spin on it. (i had to tweak some of the colors a little, you know me.)
--------------------------------------------------
this was a smart-ass letter written to some crazy weirdo that confronted me in a children's clothing store ...

hey mr.
hi sir...i know that you really don't care about me or my family, but i wanted to thank you for giving me the opportunity to have a discussion with my four-year-old about racism and "naughty words".

gosh, i've been meaning to explain why some people don't like others that are just a little different from them. i've been meaning to explain and pop her little bubble of obliviousness to the color of people's skin. i've been meaning to explain that everyone is a little different...but i was silly to think that i would be able to approach that conversation in a positive manner. and now, for my "sincerest" apologies.

i'm sorry, that in the back of the CHILDREN'S store that we were all in (looking for a bargain), that i replied in a semi-sarcastic tone to your question.

you really did NEED to know how to discriminate between the girl clothes and the boy clothes.

my answer of, "i guess i just look for blue or pink," was obviously not helpful.

but then again, i'm also very sorry that i hadn't put in my application to work there a few weeks prior, been interviewed and provided with that position that was posted on the doorway and then been TRAINED in customer service techniques; so that i would be more equipped to answer your question.

i, honestly, just was there shopping for some games to put in my daughter's hand-me-down thingamajig that you can no longer buy cartridges and books for. so, therefore, i had ventured into said store to buy outdated learning materials for MY daughter. so sorry, i guess i didn't make it obvious that i wasn't an employee. i should have been breastfeeding - not just carrying - my 11 month old in a sling and i maybe should have been more obviously singing, "i'm shopping ... i'm shopping" while slinging my purse over my shoulder or maybe, possibly, i should have just said "i don't work here".

it really was my fault, that i wasn't obvious enough as to my status within the shop.

i know that my pink vs. blue comment really bothered you when you decided to go and complain about my professionalism to the ACTUAL employees, who were also really disgusted that one of the employees would have provided you with that comment.

and then when someone officially directed you to what you were looking for, i'm sorry that the store was closing (i should have been striving harder to become ceo of the company) and that one of my fellow employees actually mentioned that you should start making your way to the front of the store.

and super sorry that she wasn't the appropriate "race" for the job of providing you with this information.

you had every right to start swearing and making racial comments in front of the children.

if you don't teach them, who will??

i do have to say, i owned up to the pink/blue comment with my superiors...and after you left i was harshly punished.

i was fired, in fact.

i won't be working there anymore.

but then again, after you left - they mentioned hoping that you never come in there again either.

me, i don't care where you shop...i just hope that something in your life has improved since this very frustrating day that you stumbled into my career life.

(and my mom still swears that you walked out with a pair of pants)

--regretfully yours, jen

p.s. and i venture to bet that you are currently steaming about our PRESIDENT-ELECT, huh??

8 comments:

Sprite's Keeper said...

Are you serious? You weren't working, answered a question with a pretty innocent answer (I can think of worse snark than that to respond to someone), and just shopping and got fired because he was obviously obnoxious? What a schmuck! Both him and your "superiors" need lessons in respect. Glad you're not there any more then. If that's the type of people you work with. Oy. You're linked. Great post, love the Spin on it!

Casey said...

Wow, that guy is an ass. Sorry you got fired and he went off like that in front of your daughter. People are such insensitive aholes. Great spin!

steenky bee said...

I would add "hat" to what Casey said. That guy is an asshat. I can't believe this! This story is crazy. I'm sort of speechless. Great spin and I'm so glad you're in!

Also, your word verification thingy down here is "skink". I love that word and will totally use it from now on.

dig this chick said...

wow. people are nuts.

I dig your new(ish) word colors. Quite pleasant and effective.

I'll be in your neck of the wood next Thursday! No huge plans...Walker, thought we check out the children's museum too...any suggestions for a wee bug and her parents and grandparents?

anymommy said...

Yuck. I hate running into people like this. Who doesn't? Take your miserable racist self home and leave the rest of us alone.

Anti-Supermom said...

What a great post, I mean sucky for you and your girls, but well written, I was ready to slap that guy!

A virtual slap, of course.

HeatherPride said...

Wow, what a charmer. When my son was 3 he once pointed at a little Indian girl in his class and called her "the brown girl" when I went to pick him up from preschool. I just about died. Right there. He was being totally innocent and just describing her to me, but I was so paranoid that his teachers were going to think he was being raised in a racist household!! It was worse than the day we passed a lady wearing a black trenchcoat and he said "look, Mom, a witch!! She's a witch!!!"

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

Ummmm..wow. That is very awful and so surreal. When stuff like that happens around me I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone, not that it has happened very often.

Interesting post and look back.