Just a few incidences from my exciting life working 3rd shift . . .
One night, around 4:30 am, a man came in. It was clear he had just been released from the hospital. (I see a lot of the recently released - you can tell them apart by their white wrist band.) The truck was still there and I was checking it in. This man was acting really strange – just standing at the counter, looking around nervously etc. So strangely that the truck driver said to me, “You need to be careful. He is acting weird.” I talked with the fellow a little. He tried to buy some snuff but couldn’t find his money and made a big deal about that. Told me his girl friend had dropped him off and was coming back, that he was a pastor etc. Then he asked when McDonalds across the street opened. I told him 5 am and he asked if he could hang around until then. I told him No, because I had a lot of things to do before 5. He was kind of shocked but said he understood and assured me several times he had no intention of robbing me. And went no where! He was even more shocked when a few minutes later I told him he had to leave the store because I had to go into the cooler to get the doughnuts etc. I told him this again and he finally went outside, and hung around out there. I was concerned because he had begun talking to customers and I thought he was panhandling. One man came in and asked if everything was alright because the fellow outside was upset – I assume at me since I ran him off. Finally, around 5:20 he went to McDonalds. I was glad and thought it was over.
The next night, or morning for non-third shift folk, a woman came in who works at the hospital. She comes in nearly every night and we talk about this and that. She asked me if a white guy had come in the night before, “bald and wearing a blue shirt.” I said yes and she told me he had been at the hospital the night before, had been kicked out by his wife because he was high, and needed a ride so she offered him one. But he had begun to act strange, popping pills and trying to take her car. She said she felt bad about it but dropped him off at the store. You should have seen her face when I told her he had referred to her as “his girl friend”!
On Saturday night a Latino man came in, who I have seen before. He had his son with him, some where between 3 and 5 years old. I like children so I started talking to the little guy. He handed me what he wanted, I scanned it and gave it back. His Dad made a point of making him say Thank you. Then as they left he made the little boy say Thank you again and Good-bye and Have a nice night. It was cool to see someone teaching manners to the next generation.
This man came in last night who I usually see on Saturday night. He comes in with his kids after skate night. Nice people. But he came in last night (Tuesday). Said he had just gotten off work. He is some kind of engineer. He was in around 1 or 1:30 but said he should already be in bed. Then, as he was trying to explain what had happened at work he simply said, “There is an abundance of ignorance.”
It is funny but people think I am their friend because they see me so often. And they do tell me things. One night a couple of years ago while I was training someone a woman came in. I made small talk with her and then she told me she was staking out her estranged husband’s trailer, ‘cause if she could catch him cheating it would help her divorce. After she left, the trainee said, Man, they tell you everything!
I like to banter with people. I often tell them, “I’ve got to be up all night, might as well have fun.” But some people are just not nice people. They don’t talk, they don’t smile. I try but they never smile. Some I have cracked, some just think I am cracked.
I’m a good worker but a bad salesman. I have a hard time cramming all our high priced stuff down their throats. Especially cigarettes. They want us to push our 3 pack deal of cigarettes. I won’t do it. I will sell them and give the best prices, but I’m not pushing cigarettes. One guy came in and asked me about our cheapest cigarettes and then asked, “What do you recommend?” I said, “Honestly?” He said, “Yeah.” So I said, “Don’t smoke.” He kind of laughed, said I was right, then bought a pack of cigarettes!
I hate it when people come in and start calling me “Boss.”
I am amazed at what people wear out in public. Some people have obviously been out to a club and have very little clothing on or so tight I have no idea how they can sit down. I have seen women in super small & tight shorts and high heels. Or sometimes a really short skirt and clunky boots. And I wonder if they have mirrors at home or if someone really told them that looked good! And I am constantly amazed at the number of people, men and women, who come to the store in their pajamas. And one woman last night was in her pajamas and going back to the hospital waiting room!
Finally, one night I was mopping and this fella comes in. Right away he starts talking to me about the end of the world. He says, “Now listen, if I could prove to you that the world was about to end and that I had this ship that would take you to another safe planet, would you pay to get on it?” I said, “No. I mean, I believe the world is going to end but I have believed in Jesus.” He said, “You can’t beat that ship!” No, you can’t.
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