ddhr.org - Do you work here?

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Do you work here? (8)

May 11, 2007

More often than what I would presume to be normal, I'm mistaken as a person who works at the store I'm shopping in. It's because I wear khakis and I tuck in my shirt. I suppose it only happens when I'm wearing a solid-color shirt, such as blue for Best Buy or red for Sports Authority. But what's weird is that it happens quite often. Just the other day, I was mistaken for an employee of Sports Authority twice in 10 minutes. My favorite part about it is that I can see it coming from a mile away. I'll be walking around a store and notice a person make purposeful eye contact with me. I'll smile to myself and think, "Here it comes." I'll busy myself near some objects on a shelf and pretend to be surprised as they show up next to me and start talking to me. I'm not sure if it's my intentionally blank stare that gives it away or the fact that there's no logo on my shirt, but most people ask their question followed by a "I'm sorry, do you work here?" I politely say no, but that I'd be happy to answer their question. Most people think I'm kidding, but I don't mind trying to answer a question about the location of an object in a store with which I have no affiliation. #business

Comments

#1	Emily	May 11, 2007
	Carl has a similar problem when he is wearing a tux at a black tie event. Each time, at least half a dozen people will try to give him their empty glasses or dirty napkins. This is part of the reason he wore a white tux to our wedding.

#2	Dave	May 11, 2007
	Ouch. I don't understand why food/drink servers wear tuxes in the first place. Am I less likely to take a bacon-wrapped scallop from a person in jeans or a pink jumpsuit? Not at all.

#3	Dave Brown	May 11, 2007
	I'm going to guess that you're wearing polo shirts when this happens.

#4	Dave	May 11, 2007
	Yeah, polos. It's a weird coincidence that the day I wear a certain color polo, I happen to go to a store where all the employees wear the same color polo.

#5	Payal	May 12, 2007
	I heard from a friend that she was in GAP and she was wearing a gap tee and she was shopping. She had two people in the same 15 minutes come up to her and ask her for assistance. I think its likely in her case, because in certain stores they do wear the clothes they sell. What if you were really rude to them when they ask you? Can you be rude? I, too, don't get why waiters wear tux. sigh.

#6	Dave	May 14, 2007
	I think it's perfectly ok to be rude. And it's also acceptable to give false information. This would closely mimic an actual encounter with a store employee.

#7	Payal	May 14, 2007
	How is it that there are two Dave's. You shouldn't let any other Dave post messages on your blog w/ your name. Isn't that confusing. I will be rude from now on to those who mistake me for another.

#8	Wendy	May 15, 2007
	Carl, I'm sorry. You don't all look alike. You're unique.