Nights at the Gas Station

I haven’t been blogging a lot lately… mostly because nothing interesting has happened. I go to school, I go to work then I come back here to sleep. And unfortunately, the work part of my day is taking over.

Right now my job is crazy. I don’t know which employees aren’t working but I know someone isn’t doing their job. The store is always gross, nothing is ever stocked and people quit counting the money as often as they should. Lately, I’ve been working 4 or 5 hour shifts since I have late classes and that’s all they can schedule me for during the week. When I only work 4 hours, I can only accomplish some stocking and the tasks towards closing the store. Nothing else can get done in 4 hours unless everyone stays home. Today I had an actual 8 hour shift so before I even got there today, I had plans of cleaning the store and finishing some projects I started through the week.

Well, today my shift started at 2pm but I got there at 1:30 to get lunch at the café and actually have time to eat it. Unfortunately, I walked in and there was a line of employees down the aisle waiting to pay for their things. I clocked in at 1:35 to help. After that, I did not leave the register for 5 hours. I literally did not move from behind the counter. It was terrible! After about 6:30 I was able to do some of my work.

I looked at the schedule and saw that an employee who doesn’t really care for me was opening in the morning so I knew that I needed to get some things done if I didn’t want another text message cussing me and her complaining to all of the other employees about me… like she’s never had a busy night. ANYWAYS

The real point of this story was that I was sweeping and I had actually moved the shelves that made up the aisles to sweep and mop underneath them. It was gross. But I had dust everywhere. It was all over my clothes, all over the store and all over the drunken cowboy who walked right through my pile of dirt.

There is this customer with a really deep voice, a cowboy hat and a John Wayne attitude… usually a real nice guy… but today he was stuttering and staggering around my store. Once he got his beer and put it on the counter, he said to me, “you want my buddy to sweep up your dirt?” I thought he was joking and said of course. Why would I sweep if someone else was going to do it for me? After John Wayne and his friend left the counter, about 7 customers had come in and were beginning to line up so I was with the register. The friend came up beside the counter and said “Ma’am? Ma’am, do you got a dust pan?” At first I said, “of course? Why wouldn’t I have…. Wait!” I looked over at Mr. Cowboy and he was poking at the dirt with the broom in a stirring soup kind of motion. I kept saying things like “please stop” and “thank you and I’ll get it done…” “I get paid for it”—things that should have given him the hint that I didn’t want him in my dirt.

Finally, he left with a proud smile that he had helped me clean up and I only had 2 customers in the store at this time. I looked at the guy at the counter and said, “He’s usually really nice. I think he may be a little drunk today.” He replied with, “I wonder what gave you that idea?” and “I’d hate to be a girl working alone in a gas station.”

I replied with “Some days are worse than others”

Guy at counter: “I bet you get hit on by every godd*** alcoholic and creep in Sylva”

And as he walked out he said: “And they don’t even know when you’re gay!”

After he left and only the last customer and I remained in the store, we laughed for 5 minutes straight. The last customer was laughing so hard he couldn’t ask how to get back to I40.

JEEZ… I don’t work at the Crowne Plaza… I didn’t need to wear heels and an apron. And either way, what made him think I was gay? Was it my flannel shirt or rainbow tattoo on my forehead? People these days can't help but jump to conclusions. hahaha.

Oh and no... I'm not gay, nor do I have a rainbow tattoo... yet :)