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February 27, 2006
Lovin' and hatin'
So everyone at The Department Store was working hard Saturday because there was a Big Sale on Saturday which ended at 2--the registers were stacked up starting at about 12:30 till 2:15. All the available associates (the ones who straighten up the departments or organize the dock instead of working registers) were at the registers bagging while the cashiers were kickin'. It was harried. I loved it.
I love the registers, because I get to read people and try to make them happier while they spend, spend, spend (which is not my fault if they are over-spending...I just do my job!). However, other associates prefer to hang out in the departments, or on the dock, organizing and keeping interactions with (sometimes demanding and often spoiled) customers to a minimum.
I ran into one of these associates after my shift Saturday. She was sitting at a table in the break room with her elbows on the table and her chin/head in her hands, looking totally tired. Three other women were in the break room talking about their kids or something, ignoring this girl. I had a few moments, so I went over to the girl and asked her if she was ok...she started pouring out to me about how she hates the registers and yadda yadda. I sat and listened and then offered to rub her shoulders. She really was pretty tense but not as tense as others (such as Mom after a long day of typing the newsletter at the school she works at, or my friend Littlemissreformed, who is high-energy and often tightly wound)--and I could feel her relaxing as I massaged her.
There are several reasons I report this (and reflect on it myself):
- I recently blogged about profiling, and this girl fits the profile of the type who, when I was in high school, I profiled into the "I'm afraid to approach her with friendship because I'm a goody two shoes and she's not...and she can tell and I'll alienate her because she thinks we have NOTHING in common" category. But in spite of my predisposition to profile her and abandon her, I was able to take the edge off her day by just listening to her woes and offering some physical comfort.
(And a tangent from my point...when I lived in Hawaii and had no family nearby and no friends of consequence, I craved touch. I wanted hugs, massages, handholding, sitting close on the couch. My body just missed contact and I didn't really notice until someone, like the pastor's wife, would hug me and my body would go 'aaaaaaahhhh.' What I am saying is nonsexual, non-manipulative, kind and caring touch. We need it.)
- I have spent time praying about how to work at The Department Store while being a Christian. I don't want to be A.) a blowhard who goes around trumpeting the gospel while being insensitive, but I also don't want to be B.) a pansy, who is always nice (and goodness knows there's enough Niceness here in the South!) but never takes a stand with sinful behavior. What's the tightrope line? Where's the knife edge on which I walk? Jesus guides me...I take one step at a time, being kind and compassionate, quick to forgive, quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, refusing to gossip and showing sincere concern for the people I see every shift. Or I try. And I think this episode with the girl in the break room was part of that, offering her a cup of cool water when she needed it.
- Otter over at Grasping for the Wind wrote about 'loving-the-sinner-hating-the-sin,' and his thoughts sparked some of mine over here. So here's my little thought for the day regarding loving-the-sinner and whatnot.
Stories from Behind the Counter | By The Newest Worker | 09:54 AM
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