Sunday, July 29, 2018

Disrepect is NOT on the menu

I went off on someone in public this week.

Normally, that only serves to make me feel bad 
about my lack of self-control, or for allowing a
nobody to alter my emotions. On this particular
week's 'Hump Day' however, I felt good about
humping back.

The local Hardee's Restaurant is not known for
much in the way of customer service. This is a 
small, poor town with dying businesses and not
much going for it. Like thousands of similar towns 
in America, it's filled with people who aren't ever
going to have a better life than they have right now--
and who are aware of that fact.

It doesn't exactly inspire superb attitudes--and even 
if it did, minimum wage, monotony, lack of benefits,
and living in the middle of constant racism would
take care of finishing off any enthusiasm.

But what happened Wednesday, July 25th, 2018
at this franchised, greasy, fast-food-hole in the 
middle of Donalsonville, Georgia's main highway
was neither strange for this business, new from
the individual in question, or unique to the current
customer service trend of "Who gives a shit?"

What's truly telling is that EVERYwhere I went
that day, and everyONE I have told in the days
since, one common theme ties my sharing of
the incident: I didn't even have to say the name 
of the person in question who treated me poorly--
she was known to everyone by the described
bad acts.

This tells us several things. First, the problem
with this specific person's bad attitude is 
persistent and well-known. It is considered a
staple--a feature, if you will--of this Hardee's
restaurant. (Owned and operated by the town's
mayor, Dan Ponder, by the way. Well, 'Ponder
Enterprises, Inc.')

Second, the casual way in which people shake
their head in muted disbelief shows how
accustomed we are to overlooking problematic 
customer service. It's just part of our expected
experience when we enter any kind of business
in this day and age. We've stopped even bothering
with reporting it or being shocked by it.

Third, the lack of concern by management or 
owner for the treatment of their customer base
says everything needed to understand that 
they have no respect for the people or their money.
(Okay that's not true--They do love them some
green. But they don't care how they get it!)

I, too, have essentially Given Up when it comes
to the hopeless nature of the disappeared art of
customer service. Everywhere you go, it's people
not making eye contact with you, grunting at you rather 
than speaking, talking on the phone while they 'deal'
with you, talking to their coworkers, airing personal
problems, acting like helping you is torture,
and so on and so on....

It's disgusting and unacceptable, but what are
we to do when it's our new normal? And I don't 
want to enter into conflict just to be heard. And 
for people like me, in a small town with limited
choices, if you start boycotting horribly run
businesses you WILL run out of places to shop!
("Keep your money local!" my ass.)

I used to take the high road of ignoring the Bad 
and simply complementing the Good. I would
write courteous letters to managers and owners so 
they could course-correct with their hiring.
But no one cares any more--Not one. single. BIT!

No matter. Despite the pervasiveness of poor
service, it is NOT acceptable. With everything
going on in the world, can we not at LEAST use 
the whole 15 seconds of time it takes to make 
one another feel welcome, respected? As human
beings, can we not at least put THAT much effort 
into it?

Forget that y'all are not on a reality show and 
don't need to be mugging for the cameras with
your nasty glares and chicken-necking. Forget 
that you are being paid a wage to actually speak
to the people coming in to the store--nicely. Forget 
that your life is in shambles and you hate your
drama, because I guarantee you I am NOT the one
who pissed in your oatmeal nor have I shot your
MeeMaw, so get over it.

Because I am the flip side of that coin.

I am the one who is sick and damn tired of being
disrespected by people all the damn time.

I am sick of southerners thinking they're 'justified'
in owning their attitude-filled disdain 
and personal 'issue' with my skin color, my
heritage, my sexuality, my voice, my weight, my
politics, my extracurriculars, my attire, etc.
It's now common practice to perform a negative eval
in order to inform what level of disrespect people
will show customers. 'Mistreatment' is in vogue.

Some will think "Get over it--Not a big deal."
Disrespect is a huge deal. 
Our country is falling apart due in large part 
to an epidemic of it, and it's likely only going to
worsen. No, I can't change how people act.
I can't effectively change anything at every
place I go where people mistreat me.

But I am done with fake-smiling and 
pushing down the normal response of upset
when someone who's about to take my money
thinks I need to get a ration of bullshit on the side.
 Save that drama for when you're on your knees 
at night in prayer.

I'm speaking my mind--calmly.
I'm walking out.
I'm not returning.
I'm telling everyone I know.
I'm writing bad reviews.
I will at least be heard, regardless of 
whether or not it changes anything,
because enough is enough.

And in time, other folks will be joining
the campaign to stop stomaching 
nasty employees. When they do?
Businesses won't know what hit them.

***


Friday, December 27, 2013

 
Why should it be
that evil
never wants for allies
 
while good folk
stand waiting
for support and supplies?
 
**

Monday, December 23, 2013

No, children,
you're not wrong
or crazy....
it is all
bullshit.

Stand strong and
forge on!

***

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

 
When prior generations were
promoting the notion of their
kids' inclusion and their ability
to "be anything that they wanted,"
maybe some caveats
should have been added.
 

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Check Yourself


"Please...
Don't let the
smile and the good looks
fool you.

Chicken plucker."

***


Ahhh...it's the old "Campfire-Calm/Bedroom-Bitchiness" trait in action!"


Now that mid-life crisis has set in, all the people
who were hardcore bitches (while I was a naive
Pollyanna refusing to face reality and playing a
doormat) are now becoming very touchy-feely-
centered-spiritual(esque) 'children of the world.'

And that's all fine and good-- as the world turns.

But now they want to lecture and soliloquize and
testify and project my need to be less cynical and
embrace tolerance and peace!

You know, since they have now evolved enough to
comprehend that they are inherently correct in
whatever venture they deign to embark on. Yawn.

Well, bitches... here's a newsflash; I've been there and
definitely done that! I've held hands and kissey-pooed
and Kumbaya-ed till the cows come home....and I saw
the end results. So you do your thing and leave me well
the Hell enough alone.

I'm evolved and self-sufficient and a rip-roaring
survival machine. I got mine figured out...suckas.

It's kind of funny--the piousness with which they presume
their base rightness at every turn of their transformation.
And that their basis is better...even though I was in that
place some twenty years hence.

They're as self-important now as 'enlightened souls' as
they were when they were mercenary "Every man for
themselves" assholes.

See? Nobody really changes after all.