Today hmm how shall I describe my day?
For the next 2 weeks or possibly more I am working at Mr. S’ work, well not at his work, but for his employer. I have worked there once before, inside the office, this position however is calling on customers and taking their orders for the products Mr. S’s company sells.
You will all understand why I will not and cannot mention the company when I tell you about my 2nd visit. Let us just say I am calling on various Supermarkets.
First one went fine, small shop, not a big order. I went up and down the aisles, checking what stock they had of ours and if they needed to bump up their stock.
Second shop…this is where… well okay the only way to say this is to well..say it.
I walked in and asked for “whathisface”, “whatshisface” was not there, so another young man, possibly late 20’s at that, came to my assistance.
I had a clipboard and order sheet and catalogue in hand. He had his copy of the catalogue in his hand.
The first aisle we walked up and down, he being polite, asking me how my Christmas was and New Year, to which I told him, I ate too much. His reply polite “You don’t look as if you have to worry about anything”. I also advised him I was just relieving staff, until a new Rep was appointed. His reply “They don’t need a new Rep, you can just come here”.
How sweet, okay not here really for social chit chat, anyhow, he had to look up on the top of the shelves to check some boxes out of stock, so he went to retrieve a ladder from the back store-room.
Back he walked ladder by his side and well it was a case of “Is that a gun in your pocket or are you pleased to see me”. I swear I don’t normally look down to that department, but it was more than obvious!! *Nods* and since we don’t tote guns over here, then I could only assume, he was VERY pleased to see me.
I averted my eyes from the obvious, he went up the ladder, came down the ladder. We walked to the next aisle, and for the sake of a name let’s call it – “Jeffrey” followed (for gawds sake man, can’t you train it?)
“Jeffrey” continued saying a high and mighty HELLO to me up and down the aisles, but the most disconcerting and evasive was each stop at each product we had to check, “Jeffrey’s owner” stood right up close and personal and made sure “Jeffrey” was touching my leg. (Thankfully I had pants on).
Now what do I do in these circumstances? The mother side of me just wanted to slap “Jeffrey” back down into place and say really…you think this is professional? The other part of me said I am helping out the company, I can’t do anything to jeopardise future relationships with the customer.
So “Jeffrey” and his owner continued to follow me, stand behind me, to the side of me, nudging at every given opportunity, which there were many! Ewww gross I know.
I think the owner of “Jeffrey” was perhaps a little…. well to put it as politely as I can, a sandwich short of a loaf in some aspects, as when his “Jeffrey” was touching me, he kept looking down as if to see my reaction, waiting for me to get either a) excited b) be disgusted.
I was neither, I carried on as if nothing was happening and believe me it wasn’t easy.
Thankfully after a very long hour of this, I shook his hand at the door and said thank you for the order and left.
How would you have handled this situation?
I would be interested to know.
Mr. S is understandably mortified, so are the owners of the business, I mean to say on my first day to be confronted by Jeffrey. The owners will be contacted and a meeting will be set up. I hate to think this guys job is on the line….but…..
This is how I felt with my “Jeffrey” encounter
(yes I chortled at the pic I chose & psychologically I’m okay and the wine is already opened!)
Ramblings From A Mum 