Friday, September 3, 2010

**TJMaxx, we're talking about you...

A ghost blog! For those of you that don't know...occasionally, we get an email from one of our readers wishing they could get their rants, raves, and words out in the internet realm without actually starting an entire blog for it. Today is one of those days! We LOVE hearing from you guys, via comment or ghost blog! Let her know what you think of this scenario, mmmmkay? -Nomz and Sazaran

I was on a mission today: find spankies, or spankie alternative so I don’t flash people at the gym.

It’s not that I often wear incredibly short shorts, but I bought a pair of Adidas shorts at Kohl’s a few weeks ago, and they are a tad *too* short for my comfort. Especially when I run. Spankies or tight spandex shorts were my cheap solution.

I went to TJMaxx to see if I could find something that wouldn’t break the bank. And I did. I also found something for the fiancée, picture frames for the wedding, and other useless crap that I couldn’t live without (TJMaxx will do that to ya).

So I get in line. And wait. And then wait some more. I concentrate on the woman in front of me who can’t stand still for a second (and consequently she touches and opens every little kid book within 2 feet of her cart, picks up two last minute DVDs, and decides she can’t live without a couple packages of overpriced M&Ms). Then I look at a screaming child two lanes over. Count the tiles on the ceiling. Think about what I’m making for dinner… you get the idea.

25 minutes later I’m still waiting in a line that hasn’t budged an inch. There’s only one person in front of me (the woman decided she wanted gum in addition to the M&Ms). There’s two cashiers and both are still working with the same customers. Lane 12 bought $643.88 worth of merchandise—and that’s after insisting that she didn’t want a shirt. Lane 9 bought the entire child’s clearance section and every tag is coming up the wrong price. Multiples of an item are writing up different prices. No manager is available to fix this.

I wait a while longer and the guy behind me, holding a small pink backpack that is a gift for his daughter, goes to a nearby worker and asks if it’s possible to get another cashier. Nope. Sorry.

So I count some more. 4 carts of merchandise to go back. 6 people now in line. 9 employees, 7 of whom can’t work a register.

Wait what? There were 9 employees at the registers doing various things. Only 2 had clearance to work a register.

At this point it’s 30-35 minutes from when I first got in line. My picture frames are heavy (should have gotten a cart!) and I’m starting to get irritated. I hear the Lane 12 cashier ask the customer where she found a particular item, and if it was available in the cashier’s size…

*blank stare*

Why can’t they work a register? Or find someone else who can?

I eventually check out, ask to speak with a manager, tell her I’m surprised that 9 employees are there and we still had to wait 30+ minutes for a register to check out.

She smiles at me. Not in a friendly, “I’m sorry for your trouble” way. It was more of a, “This isn’t my problem. Deal with it” kind of way.




Am I wrong to be slightly upset at this? How long, dear readers, do you wait in line before you give up? How long before you get upset? Do the same rules apply for store lines as they do for restaurants? And was I just bitchy?

Help a girl out!

--Ghost Blogger

5 comments:

firststarontheleft@gmail.com said...

Honestly, my tolerance for waiting in line at a store goes about as high as my love for whatever I'm holding; but usually, if I've been standing there 20 minutes, the love starts to wear off.
And then after about 25-27 minutes, we break up, and sometimes it's kind of painful. (& it's almost ALWAYS because someone's returning something ahead of me, and horrible things are happening as a result.)
Restaurants I'm more flexible with, because I always think, "If they're busy, that means the food's going to be fresher! And I get bonus hang-out time with my awesome company."

However, living where I do (you know you miss it, GhostBloggah), you quickly learn which places to avoid so you don't get stuck in line; like Safeway? Yeah, they enjoy the "one checker at 5:30 p.m." game. No go. The same applies for Albertsons, Ross (which has grown progressively scarier, p.s.) and occasionally Victoria's Secret.

I have learned, however, that if you have an option to smile nicely at the jewelry counter lady at TJ MAXX, and you do it? She'll wave you over to check you out, no questions asked.

kelly said...

I s'pose I am not in the norm, but if I am not pressed for time, I kinda like waiting in line. It gives me a chance to people watch, to assess someone in need, to pass on random acts of kindness, and [seriously] to just take a break from the hustle and bustle. You bet I'll nab a KitKat while I'm waiting, but a little chocolate never hurt anyone, right? I even make it a habit to tell the cashier she is doing a great job, or that I appreciate her smile when she finally gets to me.

The only place I am terribly impatient is that huge warehouse on Delrange with the big blue block letters on it, but that's because I dont like to go there anyway. I have discovered it's not so bad at 6AM, so that is when I go.

JenniferH said...

Well my patients in line is severely dependent on two thing...what store I am in and how many children I have with me. Any store that had ANYTHING a three year old can reach near the register is the bain of my existence...If I spend more then a minute have to constantly say "No" and then deal with the crying that ensues I hate it.

Now when I am by myself and I have no where to be then I could care less about long I wait in line...I worked retail to long to be enticed by the "Department 82" items that they attempt to make jump in your cart. But with that said...if I have somewhere to be and was hoping to accomplish the store in under a half an hour...I get annoyed.

Lover of your BLOG! said...

I have NO patience for line waiting. My time is valuable to me and chocolate does not satisfy me while waiting in line.

I would have dropped the stuff on the counter or the closest spot and left the store.

And then I would have gone for a drink to smooth me out!

Prairie said...

I went to Sonic for some fast-food sinning the other day and waited at the drive thru for seven minutes before anyone talked to me. Then I ordered and they didn't tell me my price or to drive forward after several more minutes, so I bailed.
Last night, my Sonic craving returned so I did, too. I got in the drive thru behind this red truck and waited... and waited... and left to instead give my love to Taco Bell. When I drove back by Sonic? The red truck was still in line, and I was happily munching away on my burrito.

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