Monday, 19 December 2011

Outside my shop today, while their kids were smearing Greg's pasty fingerprints all over the shop windows...The Chavvy parents were standing infront of my beautiful, handmade, exquisite Christmas Wreaths for sale and were...bitchin...

She (wearing pjama bottoms, with a track suit top), said: "Orrr, these are gorgeous, lookerem, thems gorge...How much are they?"

He: "Fooking Hell, they are £7.99 each!!!!   

I'm not paying that, what a rip off!!!!....

I'll get em from the Town, they are only two for twenty quid there!"

Sunday, 27 November 2011

Shopkeeper's Prayer


Lord of Retail...
Grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change....

The patience everyday,  to deal with the heavily medicated/alcoholic/fuckwits who have showed lack of manners and the inability to recognise soap as an aid to cleansing their bodily excreations.

Grant me a keen eye and the knowledge to spot the ones, who intend to leave my shop without paying for the items they have put in their Aldi carrier  bag and think that I havent noticed.

Grant me the breath and a fast pair of trainers when the feckers make a run for it out of the shop.

Grant me, courage to deal with agressive assholes and the wisdom to hide the bodies of the ones who piss me off...

Shed a little light...

I mainly can't wait to shut the bloody shop door today:

Customer:   Do you sell shallow tea lights?

Me:  No Madam, we just stock standard size tea lights like these... * smilingly points to candle display.
...
Cust: You SHOULD sell them, these are shit, they just spill all over the place, I want shallow ones!!!

Me:   I'm sorry, I dont know anywhere that stocks shallow tea lights, I assume you mean tea lights with a very thin base...

Cust:  I know what I mean! YOU obviously dont!!!!

She waltzes out of the shop and promptly buys exactly the same tea lights that we sell, from the shop nextdoor.

On passing my shop, she comes back in waving her new tea lights and interrupts me serving another customer, to shout -
 
'This is what shallow tea lights look like, for YOUR future reference'...
..I needz a new job...

One of those days...

One of those mornings in my shop so far:

Customer: "Is your Dad in?"

*Thinks, what am I, like 12 years old??... but I smile sweetly and says "He's not, can I help you?"

Customer: "YOU won't know, I want panel pins, but you won't know what I'm asking for, will you??"

"What size panel pins?" I ask, trying not to lean over the counter and punch his patronising head in...

"Paaanellll Pins!", he shouts in my face, "Wheres your Dad, he will know, is he not working today?"

*reaches for the cattleprod under the counter....

Monday, 21 November 2011

Window licking good...

So this Monday morning, the dress code for the Village appears to be, slippers, pjama bottoms, football shirts, orange tan and an entire collection of Elizabeth Duke jewellery...

It must be finally getting colder, as today, there were no mid riffs showing and the peasants were cramming themselves into the phonebox to scratch off their instant win cards and wait for the local drug dealer.  They did, of course, leave their screaming kids outside strapped to various pushchairs in the biting wind, while they filled the phonebox with the smell of Benny Hedgehogs, chip fat and wet dog...

Latinus Twatius - was in a hurry today, so he just stood in the doorway and waved his bits of paper, shouting "PERAMBULATORY!" at me...then telling me that the clue was in the Daily Mail crossword...When I pointed out that I was too busy to read the bloody paper, he just shrugged and left the slips of paper on the counter, with a threat to come back the next day and test me.

This morning, Magic Padlock Man, is actually wearing a tea cosy on his head, on top of the grubby hat he normally wears!.  Looks like there is a possibility it could be one he has stolen from the charity shop next door. A charming little number with little flowers and huge amount mangey unwashed curls of hair sticking out of the hole at the back.  He looks quite fetching and has only been in three times so far, twice to bring me a handful of rolled up fags and to ask if he can have the pound back that he donated to the Butterwick box last Friday.
  
I am beginning to wonder what the feck is the matter with people these days?   My last customer just called me a lying pig, cos I told him that opal lightbulbs have been taken off the market and shops no longer sell them.   Apparently, HE has never heard of the new energy bulbs and told me that the EU legislation doesnt apply to us, cos the UK doesnt have The Euro!?!?

Basking in his ignorance and screaming at shop staff must make him feel a lot better, fffsss!

Just finished doing the Christmas window display...in time for the chavs to smear Greg's pastie and finger prints all over the glass...

Tuesday, 8 November 2011

The Great Escape...

So, I've been back from my jollies for a couple of weeks now and in the last few days, I have detected an unusual odour coming from a cardboard box behind the counter.

Today, I finally grabbed a moment to open the box for further investigation...

It seems that while I was away, it was business as usual with the Melange of Nut Jobs bringing in love tokens, latin classes and batteries.

The smell, turned out to be one of Magic Padlock man's famous cloths, in which he had lovingly wrapped half an old necklace, some loose tobacco, a half eaten pasty and then possibly dipped it rancid milk, before putting it in a carrier bag and bringing it the shop for me.  Scared to open it, the staff put it in the box and closed the lid.

 - Latinus Twatius, was deeply troubled that I had fled the country and initially said that he would delay my Latin instruction till I got back.  However, in a twitchy 'Cat on the Hot Tin Roof' - obsessive kind of way, he couldnt stay away from the shop and insisted on testing all the shop staff on their verbs, while I was gone. 

He left reams and reams of paper with carefully written latin on, and the translations on the back. The staff were instructed to tell me that I was to study them and he would test me, the week I got back - Oh Feckin Joy!!!!

- In the bottom of the box, Batteries Woman had left 11 brand new batteries, which, as usual, she had stuck a label on, which stated the date she bought them and the hair colour of the person who sold them to her...

She had written 7/10/11 - Bald

Dad must have been working that day!

There was also a stray bag of Wild Bird Sunflower Hearts, which Snotty Pram Woman, had brought back for a refund.  She complained that they tasted differently to the ones she bought the week before.  The staff had pointed out that they are not for human consumption, thats why they are clearly labelled as such...she still wanted a refund...

Magic Padlock Man had obviously been robbing from the Methodist church down the road again, as there were three hymn books, an empty plastic cup and bits of broken ginger snap biscuits...Must have been a great coffee morning.

A note from the staff was stuck to the top of the box, stating that Helicopter Man wished to see me about fitting a communications mast near the tower at the local airport.  Pretty interesting, considering we are a gardening shop!!!!  No doubt, I'll hear all about that when Captain Cock comes through the door later this week.

The only thing right at the bottom, was a piece of paper, with my dads hand writingon it. Apparently he has been accused of lying to a customer, who didnt believe him, when he told him that the hoover bags for his hoover were not longer available. The customer had continued to argue for 20 mins after my dad had told him that that  hoover model was made obselete in 1982. 

My dad had written the manufacturers number on the piece of paper and obviously called them for the customer to confirm that it was true.  They had confirmed that and the customer had continued to rant...

...under the telephone number, my dad has written OBSELETE 1982

at the bottom of the page he wrote - PRAT!


Got the Blues

Customer:  Have you got any indigo coloured candles?
Me:  No,  I'm sorry Madam, the only ones we stock are pale blue in colour.
Customer:   Can you show me?
Me:   Of course, come this way...

We walk over to the candles area and I show the customer pale blue candles...

Customer: These are NOT indigo!
Me: Yes, I know, I'm afraid we don't have indigo coloured candles, just pale blue...
Customer: These are NOT indigo, did you think these were indigo?
Me: Not, at all, we only stock these pale blue ones.

*Customer screws up her face and with a long dramatic sigh says...
Are you colour blind???? - These are clearly NOT indigo!

Me: (wanting to slap her), Thats right, they are not.
Customer: You said they were indigo...
Me: I think I said they were pale blue...

....tumbleweed moment....

Me: I'm sorry, they are the ONLY candles that we stock in a blue colour.
Customer: Well, these should have a note on them saying - 'light blue NOT indigo'....

**** Yup Madam and YOU should have a note attached to you which says -

"Danger - I'm Fecking Hard Work"

Toilet Water

Local Peasants must have been drinking the water out of the Village Pond again, as it seems to have caused 'Manners Amnesia' this morning...



I smiled and wished my first customer of the day "Good Morning", she promptly ignored me and barked:

"Toilet Water"

Not knowing exactly which product this scowling misery was asking for, I smiled and said:

"I'm sorry, can you be a bit more specific?"

"Toilet water, that goes in the toilet!!!!!..." she grunted.

"Ah!" I said, "like a toilet cleaner, something like Domestos or Harpic?"
"Whatever", she barked.

So, off I went up the back of the shop and brought a bottle of Domestos back to the counter...

"Open" she barked...
"I'm sorry?" I said...
"Open!"...

"You want me to open it for you??????"

She didn't reply and started to put endless shrapnel on the counter to pay for it...

On closer inspection, this misery wasnt much older than me and didnt seem to have any disability, or apparent reason why she couldnt open it herself, when she got home.  None the less, I opened the top for her and took the mountain of change off the counter.

"Bag", she barked...

I said nothing, took a carrier bag out and put the Domestos upright in the bag.  It then occurred to me that though she didnt look foreign, may be she didnt speak English, so I gave her the benefit of the doubt.  I continued to smile as she snatched it off the counter and went to leave the shop.

"Thanks a lot,"  I said really slowly, clearly and politely, just incase she was from warmer climes, because, surely, noone could be that rude.????..

"Have a nice afternoon" I chirpped...

I was still smiling at her, when she stopped in her tracks, turned on her heels and said:

"What the *ecks the matter with you, you stupid C**t - are you retarded???   Just to do your *ecking job and mind your own business"...She shouted...

Quality peasants in the Village this fine day then, she must have had at least two pints of pond water... 



Need a Hug Mate?

Dear Customer...

Why have you specifically come in my shop to complain that The Post Office won't accept a photocopy of your insurance policy, so you can renew your tax disk??

This is a gardening shop mate and while you clearly have'nt got the guts to argue about it while you were in there, complaining to a shop keeper four doors away is pointless.
 

Are you lonely???    Do you need a hug, a cup of tea perhaps for your anger management issues???

These are things we CAN do for you...

We CAN also smile and give a sympathetic nod and make 'ohhhh and ahhh' noises while, red faced, you rant and hisss about the service you received in there..

BUT...that ALL we can do!!!!!!

Screaming at the staff in a gardening shop, is like getting a haircut which you are not happy with and complaining about it in the Cobblers... Its makes no bloody sense at all mate!

So, while you may think, in your agitated state, that its perfectly fine to walk out of the Post Office blazing, barge in to the next available shop and get on your soapbox. You may find that our shop staff find your screaming and shouting irritating.  They may even appear a little hostile in their customer service skills, while you are waving your documents and slamming your hands on the counter, especially if they have'nt had their first coffee.

In your fury, could you please refrain from added sarcasm, when I ask you if you have come in to purchase something????  Afterall, its not an unreasonable question, as 99% of people who come through my door buy something. I'm not being rude to you Sir, not half as rude as YOU are being to the queue of people that is forming behind you, patiently waiting to pay for their goods.

Please also refrain from looking at me incredulously, when I ask if you actually complained while you were at the Post Office counter.  Any person, having their marbles in place would have considered that.

Shouting in their shop, may prove a lot more productive in resolving car tax issues, than shouting in mine....

Now, bugger off, take your bloody photocopies and waste someone else's morning...  TWAT!!!!




Monday, 7 November 2011

Fancy a pint?

Muppet Monday again... Thanks to Magic Padlock Man this morning, who it seems, rather than leaving me little piles of two and one pence pieces by the electric box for the shop shuttering every day. Today has left me an unopened can of Stella... It didnt actually look too shabby, but I may have to ascertain if the damp on it, is morning dew or dog piss...

Sunday, 6 November 2011

Back from Holidays

First morning back at work after my holidays:

Customer: Where did you get your spray tan done?
Me: Mexico....

Followed by passing tumbleweed...then silence...

Tuesday, 20 September 2011

So, a customer who has been laughing in my face all week for selling sledges in September,  is so pig headed that he knows more than me about retail, to make his point, he has bothered to come into my shop and bring me a copy of today's Daily Express Newspaper.

To rub my nose in it even more, he points out that the paper says the likelyhood of a cold snap is only 30%... So, why would I bother? 

Hmm...could it be the hundreds of pounds of profit I have made in the last week, as they have gone flying out the door?

But of course, it all depends on which paper you read these days...

Peasants please note: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2039418/UK-weather-Snow-forecast-parts-Britain-early-October.html

I will be laughing all the way to the bank....

Friday, 16 September 2011



Magic Padlock man was banging on the shop door before we opened today. Eager to bring me yet another of his famous cloths, which, not even a good CSI could identify...

By 10am,  He had been back to purchase his third padlock of the day, asked for the rolly cigarette back that he so generously gave me yesterday and brought yet another selection of biscuits, which has bits of tissues and some sticky gunk attached.  (We think he may have pilfered them from the Methodist Church Coffee Morning down the road).

This morning, Her Royal Highness, The Elderly Snotty Woman who pushes a pram up the high street most days, came in to buy birdseed.  She doesnt actually have a child, or any Grandchildren for that matter, but since they took her driving licence from her, (for driving the wrong way down the dual carriageway), she now shops with the next best thing, an oversized pram. 

This woman could give lessons in abrupt rudeness.  She also wanted to buy dishcloths...how tempted was I to let her have the one Padlock man had brought in earlier?...

I have noticed that no matter what her conversation De Jour is, she always crams in the fact that she used to have a Mondeo and a bungalow in The Village, (before, she tells me, she moved to a better area).  - Keep Death Off The Roads, I say... at least she is less dangerous with a pram...


Thought I would also share this...

Just another typical day in The Village.  I opened the shop to find various bizarre items in the alleyway next to the shop. This morning's additions, were - several areas of vomit and a pilfered kitchen peddle bin.  The bin sat there for most of the day, until I saw one of the peasants clock it...tis now on ebay I suspect...

Also, note the class parking of one of the chavvy cars, parked on a busy corner, blocking the traffic, one wheel illegally up on the kerb, oh and there is the little matter of the yellow lines...the driver clearly thinks that putting Her hazards on - makes her car invisible...

When she got out of the car, she gave me a smug look and went to do some shopping. While she was buying her bottles of Strongbow and Scratchcards, I got my prayer mat out...

On returning to Her car, 40 mins later, She got a £60 quid fine... Seems that Her magic hazards, don't work after all....

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

Biscuit anyone?

So, this morning, Latinius Twatius Man is hovering outside the shop in his flat cap and filthy, battered raincoat.   He is clearly waiting for the 'shop full' of customer to leave, so he can have a private audience with me. He is gingerly hopping from foot to foot, staring at me through the shop window, with the anticipation of a kid at Christmas.

Yesterday, he told me that as he didn't come into the village during the gale force winds on Monday, that I was deficient in my Latin classes and that he had saved lots of nouns for me to ponder.

Rushed off my bloody feet,  selling nails for broken fences and such, I haven't stopped since the first peasants were battering down the door before we opened this morning. DIY shops are like a Mecca after bad weather... Still...there...He hovers...

Somewhere in the dark recesses of his mind, He knows pestering me every day is wrong and that I am actually trying to run my business here and make money. Yet his compulsions to engage me in his little world of giving me a latin education takes priority. The sad thing about it, is that he has at some point been a highly edcuated bloke. He has a cut glass Army Officer accent and impeccable manners, its just a shame that he is clearly absolutely barking!!!!!!!!!!

Like many of the Space Cases, who come though my shop door, the boundaries of what is socially acceptable, is well and truly blurred for them... I have to admit that its hard to be rude to Latinius Twatius, as he is always soooo very polite in his lunacy...

On the other hand its only 10.30am and so far...one of the other ones from the Mothership - Magic Padlock Man has brought me....

1. One earring....
2. An old, used dishcloth
3. A Big Band record sleeve...no record...
4. A handful of ginger biscuits, which have clearly been in his pocket for several months...
5. Some very nice geraniums, which I suspect came off the village roundabout...



Givemeus strengthius....its gonna be a long day....

Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Earth to Helicopter Man....


Pouring down today and Helicoper man must be on day release from the mothership.

He made his entrance into the shop wearing a rammy fleece, smelling of stale fags, unshaven and clearly allergic to soap and water. With huge dramatic sighs, he was loudly complaining to anyone who would listen, that it was poor visibility and he may have to get in touch with The Tower and cancel his flight...

He then came to the counter, wafted his eau de icky bits over me and smugly asked if we had 'any whiskey delta four zero?'.....

He then grinned at me, with his yellow Stone Henge teeth and was obviously expecting me not to know what he was talking about and for me to ask him to repeat his question. I'm sooo used to his weekly bullshite, I just stifled a laugh and pointed to the shelf.

Clearly, bitterly disappointed, missing the opportunity to dazzle me with his knowledge.  He picked up a small can and shouted to me across the shop, ensuring all the other customers heard him...

"Whats the difference between this can of whiskey delta four zero and the large can of whiskey delta four zero?"

I replied - " 250 mills larger Sir".

Fuming, He brought the small can over to the counter and slamming it down said - "You will address me as Captain"...

By this time, I was rattling with laughter inside...

"Righto"... I said

"Roger Captain" He said sternly...

I couldnt resist and said  "I'm sorry, I didnt realise you had passed your pilots licence, I thought you only flew model aircraft"...

"Its just the same" he snapped.... (Yer, course it is mate!)

"That will be £1.49p,  please...Captain"


*Thinks* Whiskey, Alpha, November, Kilo, Echo, Roger....







Sunday, 11 September 2011

Rainius Peasantus

The quantum laws of The Village universe have changed today, because its raining...not just rain though...proper - End of The World Rain....

Therefore the residents of The Village of The Damned think the following rules apply....

Our Village has the highest concentration of hairdressers in the County, but the elderly female community, may still come in to our gardening shop and ask if we sell plastic rain bonnets???



Crimes against fashion are allowed, note: the parade of rain bonnetted Geries standing in the torrential downpour, in the queue, 45 mins before The Post Office actually opens....

The local chavvies may still trawl the High Street, dragging their brood, who should clearly be in school...down to Tescos for fags, scratchcards and a bottle of White Lightening...WITHOUT a coat.... Fake tan and midriffs still on show.

Each customer has the right to point out to shop staff that "its raining"...and expect shop staff to look suprised. Despite the fact that it rains for approx 197 days a year in the UK. Residents may be oblivious to shop staff having a life outside of work and may think, that staff are under the impression that its positively tropical outside, ignoring the detail that most of the staff, have just come to work in the deluge.

Torrential rain somehow changes the UK Highway Code and Residents can basically park where they likey... And in the event they cant find a space, they can pull their entire car onto the pavement, blocking the entrances of the local shops...

Residents have the rights to over dramatise the descriptive words they use for the current inclemency.... Words like...awful, appalling, terrible, horrific, soaking, drowned etc... are acceptable, though under normal circumstances most of these words are usually used to describe major world events like the sinking of a ship, tsunamis, hurricanes etc... This particular level of humidity, gives Residents the right to lose perspective within the global context.

Poor weather conditions also enable Residents to get out their appropriate rain wear, which, when last put away, may not have been quite dry and despite it having a foisty odour of mildew and wet dog, wear it away...

DESPITE THE RAIN... Todays Latin class is NOT cancelled...

Two Fingers...


 I just showed a woman how to set a traditional mousetrap, unset it and put it on the counter for her to pay for.

While I was ringing it in the till and getting her a carrier bag, she reset the trap and left it on the counter for me to pick up.....cos she thought it would be a laugh...

Nothing pisses me off like my customers - except a pair of busted fingers...

Word!

Three young chavvy girls standing in our shop doorway, smaking tabs and discussing their kids first day at school...

One said... "Am putting a complaint in about that teacher...There was no need for my youngest kid to find out my eldest kid is really her Mam"...
 

Other one: Thats disgraceful, the school should know better...you should sue them...
 

First one: Yer, Im gonna... 

Other one: Yer, you will get loads for having your rights done in.
 

First one: Word!   I didnt want our Kylie to find out that I'm really her nana, cos then she will fink I'm really old...
 

Other one: Yer...

Batteries Woman - The Return

Batteries Woman was the first customer through the door today, with a collection of Duracell Alkalines...

Clearly nothing wrong with them, still fully charged, she bitched for ten minutes about the quality of the batteries and when I tested them infront of her, she told me my tester obviously was faulty. 

After three years of returning batteries every two weeks, I don't even bother to ask her what she uses them for, she just says "around the home" - (around the bloody Mother Ship more like)...  


I took back the 8 batteries which she bought ten days ago to recycle, all of which she had stuck a label on - and meticulously written the date/time/and colour of hair of the person who sold it to her.  Then sold her 8 new ones...she left, as disgruntled as she did ten days ago, when she brought her last lot of batteries in...

I must remember to get my roots done again - she wrote I was ginger!!!!

Manners

Dear Customer...

Would you be fecked off if I was talking to MY mate on the mobile, while I was serving YOU at the counter????? 

Then have some manners and use your phone when I have finished serving you....

The Great Unwashed...

Dear Customer...

If I can smell your chip fat, wet dog body odour, ten minutes after you have left my shop...there is a good chance you need to buy some soap on your way home...

Nanna Bonnets

Its raining in the village today...

So for the 10th time...

No Madam, I'm afraid we DON'T sell clear, plastic, nanna bonnets...its a gardening shop for f%@ks sake!!!!!

I just dunno...

No Madam, I don't know why the Post Office ten doors away is closed. 

No, I don't know if he is away, or if they will open later today.

No, I don't know why they didnt tell you, or if The Post Master is on his holidays.

No, I don't know why they didnt put signs up to tell you. 

No, I don't know if they are on strike, or if the one in the Town will be open. 

What I do know, is that I don't know feck all about someone elses business...now bugger off!

'Mint' Imperial

Dear Customer...

The UK changed to decimal measurements in the 70s...

So it really doesnt matter how much you shout at me,  that Roman tap washer is not going to fit....

Fetch...

Madam, when you ask for a light pull switch and I bring one back to the counter for you to purchase....

Patronisingly saying "CLEVER GIRL" to me... makes me want to punch you in the head!!!!  

As the business owner, if I don't know my own products, I shouldnt be here...

...and for the record...I am not a bloody gun dog...and I'm definately over 40!

For Fire's Sake...

Customer: I want a fire extinguisher
Me: I'm sorry Madam, we don't sell them, you may have to go to a specialist shop...
Customer: If you don't sell them,  why have you clearly got them on display?
Me: They are the shop fire extinguishers Madam....


 (Pass me the vodka....)

Saturday, 10 September 2011

Pansy Pisstakers

A woman comes through the door:

Me: Hello!

Customer ignores me and says... "Wheres your Boss?"

Me: Actually this is my business...

Customer: Well, wheres the man who drinks in the Club on a Friday?

Me: I dont know who you mean...you mean my dad? (not that he ever drinks there on a Friday)

Customer: Yes, I want him to bring me a punnet of pansies to me at the Club.

Me: Why dont you just buy them now?

Customer: He can bring them in the car.

Me: Im sorry, if its my Dad you are talking about, he doesnt have a car, he doesnt drive.

Customer: (getting arsey)... Ill be in there tonight, he can just bring me them.

Me: Why dont you just buy them and take them home with you now?

Customer: He can deliver them for me.

Me: Im sorry, Im not going to ask a member of staff to come in on their day off to collect a punnet of six pansies to walk all the way to the Club, out if work time, just to deliver a tray of £1.99 pansies, when you can just pay for them and take them now.

Customer: He will be going in the Club anyway.

Me: Actually, he never goes in the Club on a Friday and is going out for his wedding anniversary dinner tonight...

Customer: YOU BRING THEM THEN....

Me: (is thinking face palm moment).... That wont be happening Im afraid...


Customer flounces out of the door dragging her pet lip with her...

Wednesday, 31 August 2011

Tokens of affection

Magic Padlock Man has been on a roll today with his pilfering from the Charity Shop Next Door... By 5pm, he had given me a broken bracelet, a scarf, a 2009 Calender and Wham's first Christmas Album, straight from the 80's, only when I pulled the record out, it was by some bloke called Johnny Matthis...the disappointment hung in the air for all of a millisecond...

He has also been carrying round a large two litre bottle of Nisa Cola with him all day and despite the fact that I had only drunk half of my coffee and left my mug by the till. While I was serving a peasant, I saw him sneak through the shop door and fill up my mug with Cheapshite Coke...then left without a word...ho hum...

Of course, The Law of Sod came into play as my very fit delivery driver was humping the compost onto the shop floor (that sounds ruder than it was)... With a tonne of stuff to get priced up and onto the shop floor, Latinus Twatius Manius came creeping into the doorway with his grubby envelope, filled with the Latin education he is intent on giving me everyday.


"Not Now Mate"...I pleaded, "we are really busy"...

Obviously, this translated into Latin means...of course you can waste my feckin time by asking me to translate English to the Latin words you have written on your little pieces of paper. I have nothing better to do, despite the fact I am upto my ears in Compost and Customers!!!

Latinus Twatius is also a Persistius Arseus and hovered around for another ten minutes, clearly not leaving without imparting his pearls of wisdom for the day...

- What was the Latin word for a narrow walkway or road???

For the life of me, and the fact that I was trying to serve, take delivery and clear the shop floor of trip hazards...Not only couldnt I think of it... I just felt like screaming - I'm Feckinus Busius, now Feckius Offius!!!!

Apparently - the word is VIA...

Tuesday, 30 August 2011

In time honoured tradition...

Standing outside the shop,  doing some mundane task, on any given day of the week, is like a little magnet for the public, to appear out of nowhere and exercise their right to say inane, STUPID, predictable stuff to shop staff....

Its only Tuesday and so far, I have had more than my fair share of:

Sweeping the pavement:       
Customer - "OH, you can come and do mine when you have finished?"....

Thinks - I'm not likely to sweep the shit hole where you live Mrs without an armed guard and a Police escort....besides the Council pay for a street cleaner, thats what you pay your Council Tax for...no, sorry.... thats what I PAY YOUR COUNCIL TAX FOR!!!!!


Watering the plants:                
Customer - "OH there is no need to do that, its going to rain!"....

Thinks - Is it really???  So,  you think I should just leave the £500 worth of pansies and plants that I just bought in, to the reliable English weather, rather than bothering watering them... I didnt realise you worked for the Met Office Love, do you also have tonight's lottery numbers????

Painting the shop front:             
Customer - "OH you have missed a bit!"

Thinks - Yep Mate, this is what WORK looks like, now Feck Off and get a job...shouldnt you be out stealing cars at this time of the day????

Kneeling to put plant trays on the display stand:
Customer - "OH, say one for me while you are down there?"

Thinks - Lord, grant me the serenity to accept stupid people the way they are, courage to maintain my self-control and wisdom to know where to hide the bodies of the ones that piss me off....

 

Sunday, 28 August 2011

Nutter Alert - Batteries Woman

Traditional 1940's headscarf, old fashioned wicker shopping basket, cut glass accent (not from round ere then?), has a bungalow in The Village, a piss poor attitude to shop staff and a compulsion for batteries.

She comes in the shop religiously every 14 days to complain about our Duracell batteries she bought the previous visit.  She gripes that the batteries are aways flat and each time I get my battery tester out to prove to her that there is nothing wrong with them and they are always fully charged.  I should have realised there was a rabbit off somewhere when I noticed she had special label stuck to each battery, which she meticulously writes on the date, time and hair colour of the person who sold it to her.  It was all I could do not to giggle, when I recently read 03/08/11  9.03am Bald.... Must have been my Dad who served her...lol :)

She refuses to believe that there is nothing wrong with the batteries we sell to her and as we run a recycling scheme, she just buys new ones every two weeks.  She complains bitterly about the amount of money it costs her, bitches about the quality of Duracell and the staff,  who serve her and clearly lie to her about them being new.  We have no idea what she uses them for, but we have great fun in speculating....

Nutter Alert - Magic Padlock Man

A 6ft 4" Fruitloop, who shoplifts from the Age Concern Shop next door and brings me his pilfering spoils as love tokens...

He comes in my shop almost everyday with tatty bits of broken jewellery, cassette tapes from the local Bible Bashing Church down the road, smelly cloths and always brings a handful of Ginger Snap biscuits. Trouble is, these particular biccies look like a science experiment, not only have they been lovingly fondled by him for weeks on end in the darkness of him pocket.  They are also covered in bits of tissue, chewing gum and some gunk that only a good CSI could identify.  Still, it doesnt stop him, he is relentless and comes through the door, plonks them on the counter and promptly leaves. 

In a rush of  normalcy...now and again,  he gives me a Pound for the Butterwick Cancer Box, but on the other hand, he has been known to bring me a solitary roll up ciggie and come back the following day and ask for it back.

Everyday at 5pm, I have to return all the stolen good to the Charity Shop...where they are under strict instruction not to put the stuff straight back on the shop floor.  We have learned that he just keeps stealing the same items everyday for the entire week and I get really pissed off, having to taking all the crap back. 

Before the tree outside the shop got struck by lightening, he used to leave pennies 'for the poor children' carefully placed on the branches. 

Sometimes, when I hoover the shop floor, I find neat little piles of coins in the corners and on shelf ends....

PS.... I call him Magic Padlock Man, because he buys at least two padlocks a week from my shop...but after he has paid for them, he opens the packets and leaves the keys on the counter.   Three years ago, when he first started doing this, I asked him what he wanted the padlocks for... He told me that he needed to lock everything up at home.  I suggested that he take the keys with him, to be able to open the padlocks later.  He looked me in the eye and with absolute clarity, told me that he didnt need the keys, as there was a magic word on the front of the padlock which, when he said it, would open the padlock. 

Looking down at the padlock,  I noticed they had been stamped with a picture of a bird and the word EGRET... as he walked out of the shop with his fourth padlock of the week... I thought....them cleaners must love you on the Mothership mate!!!!

Nutter Alert Overview

Every Village has its idiots, but ours seems to have a particular heavy concentration, which is most noticable on a Saturday morning, when the cleaning staff want to being in to dust the local Mothership round the corner...  They turf the 'mainly barking' out into the Village in various states of undress and profoundly medicated, so they can get their cleaning done with no interruptions.

For the purpose of this blog, I wasn't sure how to catagorise these muppets, so I thought I would give each once of these ickle titles, so you can identify them as they come through the shop door...

Bleep Bleep Bleep

A woman brough in a chandelier,  put it on the counter and told me that it was bleeping. 

After having a good look at it, I pointed out to her that wasnt bleeping now and that I couldnt see how it could bleep as it didnt have any audio circuitry.  She told me it hangs in the hallway and everytime she came through the front door, something was setting it off.  I was stumped and explained to her that I couldnt see how it could be the chandelier that was bleeping.  She told me I was taking the piss out of her and I clearly didnt know anything about light fittings. She then asked to see the Manager...

I told her she was talking to the Manager and suggested that she took home a 9v battery....

She looked at me, wide eyed and asked where she could fit that in the chandelier... I said, its not going to fit in the chandelier, its going to fit in your smoke alarm and thats going to stop your chandelier from bleeping...

...she hasnt been back....

Outdoor Gardening

Customer: Are these plants for outdoors?
Me: Yes Madam, they are all outdoor plants.
Customer: I just want some for my garden.
Me: Well, all these plants are suitable for the garden and are all locally grown.
Customer: I just wanted outdoor plants.
Me: These are alll outdoor garden plants. (wonders if I'm speaking English)
Customer: I just wanted plants for my garden...I'll go to Wilkos, they will have some...

Dear Customer No. 5

Dear Customer,

Thank you for leaving me a pint glass, half full of piss, on the shop shuttering key box every morning this week...

Time Space Continuum

Customer: Do you sell garden sheds?
Me: No, Sir, I'm really sorry we don't...
Customer: Why on eath not?
Me: Because this is only a small village shop and we don't have room to stock garden sheds...
Customer: What type of gardening shop does'nt stock garden sheds????
Me: One thats not built like the feckin Tardis Sir....!!!!

Far and Wide

Dear Customer...

Everytime you come into my shop to buy dishcloths to send to your daughter in New Zealand.... I wonder if you realise that she actually moved to a country with a modern society...with running water, electrickery and dishcloths....

I know that any location further away that Redcar is hard for you to comprehend, but give her credit, thats why she probably moved there in the first place...

Thursday, 25 August 2011

Weeding Whinger

Love working Saturdays... A woman has just bought some weedkiller to use on her neighbours garden to 'teach him a lesson'... She told me..."YOU people have no respect for your houses or gardens!".

When I pointed out to her that I dont actually live nextdoor to her, she told me that I look THE TYPE who had a messy garden and neighbours who complain about it?!?*....

I told her that at times, its hard to maintain our 1.5 acres..but our gardening company does a great job....

Dear Wilko Customer

Dear Customer...

Please refrain from telling small, independant shopkeepers that you can buy their products cheaper at Wilkos and Poundland. Every small shopkeeper is well aware of the price difference - we may buy in ten of each product weekly, large multimillion pound stores buy 10 thousand, hence why they get it cheaper.

You are not educating the small shopkeeper with your comments!

If we could afford that amount of stock and had the space for it, we would be cheaper too. Telling a shop keeper you are going to buy it elsewhere, shows you do not wish to support small shops - so please don't moan in a few years when all that is left on the uk high streets are poundshops and Wilkos! :)

Boxing Clever

Dear Customer...

The box on the floor next to me which I am unpacking, is new stock to price up and go on the shelves.

You raking through it and asking if its reduced, bargins or out of date stock, then moaning cos there are no prices on any of the items - IS ANNOYING AS SHIT!

Please return to our store in ten mins, when I will have finished putting the prices on and put it out on display.

You will, no doubt take one look, ask for a colour other than the 58 colours we currently stock, feck off and buy it from Wilkos instead!

Lemmings

Lemming syndrome - anyone who dresses a shop/bar/office window, will note that,  the moment you go in the window area to change the display or dress the window.  A crowd of Lemmings stop in their tracks to watch what you are doing.

Quite surreal, they stand, gobs open, watching your every move, like you are about to do something extraordinary. They stare intently, or tap on the window to make some witty remark.

Weirdly they almost expect you to provide some sort of entertainment for them, but they soon get bored when the best we can do is change the posters and hoover out the mortuary of dead flies.

Lemming syndrome a retail phenomenon...lol :)

Rainy Day Rants

Dear customer - We know the weather is terrible/raining/snowing/windy... We have travelled to work in it!
Other BIG clues include:

The fact that the weather is howling against the shop windows, the fact that everyone looks a tad windswept and your pet lip indicator say 'rainy'...

Additionally, the fact that the 47 other miserable twats that have been in before you also posess the ability to point out the feckin obvious!

Gregs Pasties

Dear Customer: I have just spent the last 20 mins sweeping and mopping the shop floor - the scowl on my face indicates that.  So, despite the large notice on the door which clearly states - No Food, you still insist on bringing your 3 precious darlings in to my shop, scoffing Gregs pasties. The trail of food left round the shop floor is quiet impressive. Arguing that your kids don't want to eat their pasties outside, just makes me want to wrap the mop round your head!

Its no food, get it?

Not only for the cleanliness of the shop, but for the sanity of the staff!

VAT Schmat...


Customer: Its 4p dearer than the last time I bought it???.
Me: Yes Madam, thats because the VAT has gone up to 20 percent since last year.
Customer: What? I want it at the old price, cos I'm not VAT registered.
Me: ?????? ... I don't think you can opt out of paying VAT to the UK Government Madam?
Customer: Well I don't pay VAT in any other shop. Its outrageous!
Me: We are a VAT registered business and paint is a VATTABLE product.
Customer: I told you - I'm not registered, wheres the Manager?  You're making up this shite, I'm never shopping here again, I'll ring the papers...trying to charge people VAT - you are a robber! - She storms out the shop...

Driving me potty...


Customer brings in a plant pot to the shop and waves it infront of me. ''Do you have a plant pot like this?,'' I go to the plant pot dept, 2ft away from where she is standing, because she cant be arsed to look for herself and present her with an identical plant pot, identical, as in brand, size, shape and colour.
 
First thing customer says ''Oh no, thats not the same, is it?  Its different!'' - I give my best smile and try NOT to say - do you think I don't possess the skills to match one item to another and just fancied 10 mins of weary show and tell,  presenting you with various pots that don't look remotely like the one you have in your hand?.
 
I flash another (isnt it my break yet?) smile and despite her insistance that its not the same, I reassure her that its identical...
 
 She cockily says ''I don't think so,  but I suppose it will have to do...''

Honeymoon Honey...

My first day back behind the shop counter after my honeymoon... I will never forget my very first customer:

Me: Good morning!
Customer: Is that a spray tan you've got?
Me: No, actually, I just got back from my honeymoon.
Customer: (sneering) Well young lady, you better get your feet back on the ground now and serve me, I'm your priority now and I want garden canes!

Dear Customer No.6


What?  Its too hot for you outside?  Its raining?  Its freezing?  Its bitterly cold/swealteringly humid? 
 
We really don't care to have to listen to your gripes about the British weather. Us poor shop workers have been standing behind a till all day and havent seen a peak of daylight for hours.
 
Moaning to staff who have been under flourescent shop lighting all day is futile. We have no idea whats going on outside and you are more than likely the tenth person in the last 20 mins to tell us your weather whinges.
 
Saying 'what have YOU done to the weather?' is neither funny, nor clever. It doesnt provoke a witty response from shop staff, it just makes us want to bash you over the head with the brolly you are pointing at us.
 
Give us a break - if you dont like the weather, feckin stay at home!

Dear Customer No.5 - Dawn Diva

Following me from my car to the shopas I arrive at work on a morning, huffing and stropping impatiently does NOT make me open the shop shuttering any faster and trust me - however life and death it is that I serve you with a bag of birdseed...you will have to wait till the shop opens in 40 mins like everyone else...thats why it says 9am on the door.

Screaming and banging on door after I have gone inside the shop ...to turn off the shop's alarms and put the lights on, does not encourage me to let you in any sooner.

Shouting through the door that you will have me sacked...is laughable, as its my shop and I make the rules, including what time we open...

This will be the third time this week I have endured your temper and hissy fits... Its not difficult, just come to the shop when its open and we will be happy to serve you....

Feck off to Wilkos then...

Customer: I want sodium chlorate for my weeds...
Me: I'm sorry Sir we no longer stock it, its been taken off the market as its harmful to the environment.
Customer: Well, where will I get it from?
Me: Erm...nowhere Sir, its illegal to sell it in the UK...
Customer: Since when?????
Me: Since two years ago... I have plenty of good alternative weed killers...
Customer: (getting narked)...dont you keep any out the back for your good customers.
Me: I'm afraid not... and I could'nt sell it to you...its against the law...
Customer: This is fecking stupid...I'll go to Wilkinsons, they will have some...

Soapy Sulkers


Customer: Do you sell soap?
Me: No, I'm sorry Madam,  just gardening products.... You may want to try Boots The Chemist over the road...
Customer: (outraged) I'm not buying it from there, have you seen how much it costs?  They don't even stock the one I like, their camomile is horrible and does nothing for my skin, its drying and smells funny. I'm not paying their prices, their soap doesnt last two minutes and leaves a mark on the sink...its horrid...horrid.. And I'm not going all the way over there for that....
Me: Erm???????????...............

Dear Customer No. 4


Dear Customer... Please do not use the service in my shop to justify to the traffic warden why you parked for ten minutes on the double yellow lines. My staff are bright, hardworking, intelligent people who will endeavour to serve you almost immediately on coming to the counter... If you choose to break the law and park illegally, standing outside the shop screaming at the warden and blaming the shop staff is a little unfair and makes you look a twat!
 
Waving the parking ticket infront of the shop staff and demanding we compensate you, also makes you look a twat...and no...there is no sign saying not to park on the double yellows...lol...but there is a ickle fing called the highway code....
 
I dont doubt that...as you screamed at the staff...it 'WILL be the last time you shop here' and probably the last time you think that you have double yellow immunity too.

The Key to good service

Customer:  I forgot what I have come in for...
Me: *Smiles politely at the customer...Customer: Yes, there is definately something I have come in for...what am I like?
Me: *Continues to smile and notices queue behind customer...
Customer: Yes, it was definately plants or gaffa tape... Eeee what I am like?
Me: *Face aching now with false smile, I give a sympathetic nod... "Why dont I give you a moment and serve these customers while you have a think?"
Customer: No!!!  I'm first in the queue....
Me: *Can see the customers behind starting to froth at the mouth...
Customer: Ahhh....I remember now... I want a key cutting....
Me: I'm sorry, this is a gardening shop - the key cutting shop is next door....
She then proceeds to empty her handbag on the counter and spends the next ten mins raking thru it...I continue to serve the customers behind her, who pass their items over her shoulder... Eventually she declares....
Customer: Ahhhh..shite, I have forgotten to bring the key, I'll pop home and be back in a bit...

Jolly Hols

For the twelve customers who have stormed through our shop door demanding to know why a shop three doors away is not open this morning....

We neither know...nor give a shite.... The owner has clearly gone on his holidays and no, hasnt put a sign up advertising the fact, cos he doesnt want his shop burgled by your kids while he is away...

Opening Times

Dear Customer...if you had to limbo under the shutter, climb over three bags of compost, set the alarm off and found the shop in darkness with no sign of any staff.

There is a really good chance we are not open yet...

Bastard...

For the chavvy twat who has vomited over my shop shuttering for the second time this month...I hope the Gov stop your Slobseekers allowance...

Not a fencepaint clue....

Customer: I want some fence paint...
Me: Certainly Madam, what colour?
Customer: I dont know...
Me: Well...what colour is it at the moment?
Customer: I dont know...I cant remember...
Me: Erm..what colour would you like it to be (gets the colour chart out)
Customer: Oh, I dont want to change the colour...
Me: Erm...okay.... erm...but you are not sure what colour it is to start with?
Customer: (irate) Well..dont you know what colour it is?  You drive past my house on your way home!

Dear Customer No.3

Putting your hazard warning lights on when you park on the double yellows outside my shop does NOT make you any of the following:

A. Invisible to the traffic warden
B. Immune to the UK driving laws
C. Able to park there for over 40 mins while blocking the street access for other vehicles inc Fire Engines and Ambulances.

It does however make you a twat and I'm glad you got nicked...

Say my name...

I hate that you have been a garden shop customer here for six years and are soooo self absorbed that you insist on telling me your every last doctors app, medication, bowel movement and argument you have had with your neighbours/family/friends etc...

You think I hang on your every word and am rivited by your exciting life. In your self indulgence, it hasnt occurred to you that the only reason I have to listen to your daily life stories, is that its
my job to be behind this counter and I cannot just walk away...though believe me, I'd like to...


Sad that in the last six years of tales of your fabulous chavvy life... Not only havent you come up for air -

You havent even bothered to find out my name...

Helicopter Man


Customer: "Do you sell Pledge?"
Me: "No, sorry Sir, just gardening items".
Customer: "Right, youre a woman, you will know about cleaning products. If I spray it on the rotar blades of my helicopter, what will be the reduction in drag factor?"
Me: "Im sorry I have no idea..."
Customer: "Ball park figure...."
Me: "I dont know, Im sorry..."
Customer: " Let me be clear...I'm not wasting my money if its more than 10% reducion...."
Me: "Let me be clear....we don't sell it!   Save your breath mate, you will need it to blow up your girldfriend later...."
 
 
The following day...
 
Customer:  "I was in yesterday about my helicopter... I read on the internet that silicone based furniture polish only reduces drag capacity by 9.6% if it contains benzyl salicylate. I know you don't know anything about it....So I want your manager to check the ingredients for me."

Me: "Sir..I AM the manager and am telling you we don't sell it...this is a gardening shop...please stop wasting my time".

Customer: "But you must have some in the shop somewhere, what do you clean the counter with?"
Me: "Customer's heads...now feck off... "

Funeral Fury

I was at a friends funeral on Friday, when someone from a few rows behind me, passed me a £5 during the final hymn. I assumed it was to go into the collection plate and so thats where I put it when it came round.

As we followed the coffin out of the church, a woman whispered to me..."you can deliver it later today"....I had no idea what she was talking about.

This morning, She has been in the shop to complain that she didnt get her bag of compost on Friday and bitched that it was inconvenient that we were closed for the funeral... Ya cant win...

Tweety Twat...


We play ambient birdsong in the shop...we sell lots of birdseed...

Customer: Whats that bird singing...have you gorra bird in ere?
Me: No madam, its a CD..
Customer: Eh?
Me: Its not real, its a CD...
Customer: Wot kind of bird is that???    I can't see it...is it in the roof?
Me: No...its NOT real...its a CD recording.
Customer: Av you gorra bird...where is it?

*I walk away...sure of the fact that I was pretty clear...

Mealy mouthed...

Think the weather is bringing out the idiots today....

Customer: " Dont you sell live mealy worms?"
Me:  "No, I'm sorry, we only have the dried ones..."
Customer:  "Why not...the robin in my garden prefers live ones...?"
Me:  "We have no facilities to store or maintain live mealy worms, I'm sorry. They just come in a    fresh sealed packed for hygiene reasons".
Customer: "Well, my Robin doesnt like packet food...he makes that very clear to me... and I don't want a full packet, he just wants three or four worms, I dont know why you dont sell them loose... He is going to be VERY disappointed...as I am"

I just smiled...but was thinking - feck off back to the mothership with ya!!!

Out of the mouths of babes...

Who says the school hols are not entertaining?

Just had a woman in with a little girl about 8yrs old...

Me: Good Morning....
Customer ignores me and after rummaging in her handbag infront of me, pulls out a screw and throws it on the counter saying " I want a nut to fit that"...

I pick up the screw and go onto the shop floor to look for one...the stroppy woman and child follow me... The woman, with her face like a bulldog says nothing...but the little girl clear as a bell announces to the shop... "Grandma...you are supposed to say PLEASE!"....

Priceless...

Dear Customer No.3

You piss me off when I ring all the goods through the till that you have just bought and instead of getting your money out...you lean on my counter to finish rubbing off the panels on the scratchcard you just bought from the newsagent next door.

I may be smiling and waiting patiently for you to spend your Giro...but the queue of people behind you want to beat your head in.....

Have you got????

Sooooo..... tis Monday morning...

Customers are politely requested to refrain from their idiotic, bullshite questions like - Do you stock a replacement valve for a garden tap which was made in 1902 or Have you any Medieval ducking stools in stock?????
Massive point of sale states - 'Compost £3' - Customers still ask how much is the compost????

When ya point to the POS and say £3...they always say some lame shite like... Oh I didnt see that or I havent got my glasses on.... (Nah....actually its cos you are such a lazy twat,  you cant even be arsed to look at the prices, next you will want me to carry it to the till for you!).

Oh....you do????.... You lazy twat)!

Tight as a duck's ass

Can you believe I get customers who cant even be arsed to get the money out of their own purses...they just hold their purses open and say..."take £1.29p out of there for me...."

Boo Radley...

Madam....While I may serve you today, I am not your servant. So your arsey attitude and patronising way you keep calling me 'Poppet', just makes me want to bang your head on the counter. I realise that this action would not be in the best interest of customer relations... So while you were on your little power trip, complaining about the prices, telling me I should do a gardening course and bitching about
my staff - I have, inadvertantly stuck chewing gum to your Radley handbag...

Is it raining???

We are well aware that its raining, we all came to work in it this morning. So coming through the shop doorway bitchin' and announcing to the counter staff that its raining, does not make you the bearer of new news, nor will it provoke the wide eyed, open mouthed reaction of suprise that you are obviously expecting.... The 30 other customers who have announced the same thing to us, ...have bored us of the weather topic and we really don't care, as long as it stops by the time we go home.

You may think you are The Fountain of all Knowledge this morning, but to the shop staff, you are just another twat with an umbrella, whinging that you came out in the rain and got....erm......wet!!?!?!!?""!!?

Yellow Pages

No Sir...Our shop does not supply a copy of the yellow pages or change for you to use the public phone box on the pavement outside. Please don't spit out your dummy and tell me I should get one to give better customer service, you don't shop here....and anyway... I seriously doubt that your drug dealer is listed....

Dear Customer

When you choose not to support small independant shops in the village... You lose the right to piss and moan about them going bust and standing empty throughout the rest of the recession or being turned into another bloody charity shop....