Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Totally awkward Tuesday

Continuing a tradition started by Tova Darling, here is my weekly awkward moment.

For the most part, my sisters and I don't exchange Christmas presents. A few years ago, my sister Shouf decided she was going to get everyone a little something. She is disabled and lives on an extremely limited budget. She got all three of her sisters, 2 nieces, and both her parents each a $5 gift card to The Christmas Tree Shop. Knowing how much that cost her, I was very touched. It was not only thoughtful, but exceedingly self-less. She has no money, and chose to spend every extra dollar she had that month to buy gifts for others.

That was around the same time I was trying to turn my son's room into the Asian beauty that it was. Right after Christmas, The Christmas Tree Shop was running a special on bamboo blinds. I took my gift card and repeatedly said to myself, "I'm only going to buy bamboo blinds, I'm only going to buy bamboo blinds". I saw about 150 other things that I wanted to buy, but I stuck to my guns. If you can go to the Christmas Tree Shop and get out without spending hundreds of dollars, you know what I'm talking about.

The cashier was the type that just chirped randomly about anything that came into her little head. She chattered away while she rang up my blinds, and the total came to $8.30. I handed her my $5.00 gift card and started searching my coin purse for the balance. Her chattering turned into, "I can't believe someone would be cheap enough to give you a $5 dollar gift card. I mean, c'mon, five dollars. Who would do that? What a loser..."

I'm sorry, did she just say, "loser"? Bitch just insulted my sister.

Before I could even stop myself, I very calmly let loose. "The person you just called a loser is my sister. My DISABLED sister. I was happy to have gotten ANY gift from my DISABLED sister. Do you have any idea how difficult it was for her to give five dollar gift cards from the store that Employs You? Maybe you should think before you speak."

She was still picking her jaw up off the floor when I walked out, amid dead silence from the people standing in line behind me.

I may be awkward white trash to take a cashier down a notch, but you don't mess with my sisters...

11 comments:

Mary Alice said...

Yeah. We don't mess with the sisters. You don't mess with my sisters...and you don't mess with my babies....and you don't mess with my mama.

The clerk learned a very valuable lesson that day.

One clerk that asked my friend when she was due...when she wasn't..... heard from me...."unless you see the babies head actually CROWNING don't ever assume a woman in preganant.

Scope said...

But did you remember to pay the other $3.30, or did you effectively shop lift the blinds?

Fancy Schmancy said...

I paid before I stormed out, thanks for ruining my dramatic exit!

Scope said...

I was thinking it would have been funny if you took a "idiot cashier" discount.

JoJo said...

Hell Yeah!! YOU GO!!!! What a thoughtless thing to say. Glad you spoke up.

Always make a trip to the Christmas Tree Shop near the Sagamore Bridge whenever I'm on the Cape. Love it. Went last year w/ my cousins. It's very hard not to buy tons of things. My cousin Diane ended up buying a patio furniture set on mega sale and was able to pick it up at the store in Delaware (she lives in Maryland).

Cora said...

Good for you! That was so rude of her! I hope she learned a lesson or two.

Unknown said...

GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!! Who the heck says that??? That cashier was a huge jerk! She deserved to be taken down a notch or two.

LegalMist said...

I think you showed remarkable restraint, actually. You told her exactly what she needed to hear, without cursing or calling her names, which would have diluted your message. Awesome job!!

Lisa said...

I'm glad you spoke up! I love you already. :)

~E said...

That wasn't awkward! That was vengence well earned! If I was there I'da given her a kick in the shins for good measure!

Gwen said...

You did the right thing. She needed to learn that you have to be careful when you employ snark.