hardware store fratinerizing
Working at a hardware store is an interesting look at men and women in the work environment.
NOTE: This is tidbits from observing what goes on at the hardware store I work at. Every store has its own dynamic. Your mileage may vary.
Okay, we have our male store manager. I look up to him as a bit of a father figure. I heard a cashier today refer to him as such.
The prodigal son is the assistant store manager. I doubt his claim that he'll be 34 next week. He's got kids in middle school for goodness sake! Divorced, for what I can tell, and a big flirt. He knows I am happily committed, but I play back with his flirting. Gotta love a boyfriend confident and secure with me to know when I'll draw the line. The "son" also is just like his real father - still working at 73 and now wants a platonic kiss with his daily visits. (Remember the trust thing???)
Then there's the "Swiss Miss." As far as I know, happily committed to someone not in the "business". Been there 8 years and the lead cashier. Don't know if there's any skeletons in her closet, but certainly earned the respect of everyone.
We have a "Mom" of sorts that works in receiving. Great sense of humor.
We have our "playboy" that is a manager of sorts. He kinds of confides to me as "one of the guys" about his latest date(s) and of his latest night at the bar. I've outgrown that sort of guy, and he might be gay but in denial (he drives a Blue Mustang!).
Then there's a slew of other managers. They vary from the favorite uncle that sounds like a grouch, but a big heart underneath to younger, hard working types that I would like to know better.
I'm the only girl now on the sales floor. I've gotten to know some of the frequent customers and what they are like. One guy was oggling me from the day one. Finally just accepted I have bobbies and if he wants to stand and appreciate it, that's cool. Others are just nice to talk to, and appreciate me for just being a nice girl. The worst are the customers that think I don't know anything because I'm a girl.
I get along very well with most of the floor guys. The paint guy and I get along very well. I get to called to back up paint when he gets busy, so we get to talk a lot about all kinds of things. He's a lot like a brother I never had.
There's the floor guy that started the same time as I did. I could see him being a friend when I start my new job if he wasn't so tied up in "his second job". But he's easy going, and I always like it when I've had a few minutes to B.S. with him.
Another easy going fellow on the floor is one guy that doesn't fit the stereotype appearance of "hardware store guy". But he knows a lot of stuff for his age. Some question as to his work ethic, but I can understand that it happens.
My biggest problem is the guy that used to work there. He was a manger. I loved to chat with him, and it was easy for him to talk to me as well. I was supposed to go to dinner with him Friday night with a couple of his friends and maybe do a movie afterwards. Fine, dutch and we can meet at the restaurant, and maybe drive together to the movie afterwards. Well, he wanted to come to the house to pick me up. Worst, was his cell phone wouldn't work out here, so I'd have to give great directions. But that violates my "rule". Hell, I didn't even let "Mr. Right Here" ever pick me up.
We're going to try this again this week or so. Kinda depends on his schedule. But I will have to try and convince him to meet at the restaurant.
What can go wrong with this types of interactions? A manager getting involved with an employee of the store dates a girl. She breaks up with him and starts dating a floor guy. Manager gets jealous, threatens floor guy and verbally abusive to girl. Manager got to keep his position, floor guy was fired, re-hired and transferred. Girl also got transferred.
That's what can go wrong....
That's why you should keep work and personal separate.
NOTE: This is tidbits from observing what goes on at the hardware store I work at. Every store has its own dynamic. Your mileage may vary.
Okay, we have our male store manager. I look up to him as a bit of a father figure. I heard a cashier today refer to him as such.
The prodigal son is the assistant store manager. I doubt his claim that he'll be 34 next week. He's got kids in middle school for goodness sake! Divorced, for what I can tell, and a big flirt. He knows I am happily committed, but I play back with his flirting. Gotta love a boyfriend confident and secure with me to know when I'll draw the line. The "son" also is just like his real father - still working at 73 and now wants a platonic kiss with his daily visits. (Remember the trust thing???)
Then there's the "Swiss Miss." As far as I know, happily committed to someone not in the "business". Been there 8 years and the lead cashier. Don't know if there's any skeletons in her closet, but certainly earned the respect of everyone.
We have a "Mom" of sorts that works in receiving. Great sense of humor.
We have our "playboy" that is a manager of sorts. He kinds of confides to me as "one of the guys" about his latest date(s) and of his latest night at the bar. I've outgrown that sort of guy, and he might be gay but in denial (he drives a Blue Mustang!).
Then there's a slew of other managers. They vary from the favorite uncle that sounds like a grouch, but a big heart underneath to younger, hard working types that I would like to know better.
I'm the only girl now on the sales floor. I've gotten to know some of the frequent customers and what they are like. One guy was oggling me from the day one. Finally just accepted I have bobbies and if he wants to stand and appreciate it, that's cool. Others are just nice to talk to, and appreciate me for just being a nice girl. The worst are the customers that think I don't know anything because I'm a girl.
I get along very well with most of the floor guys. The paint guy and I get along very well. I get to called to back up paint when he gets busy, so we get to talk a lot about all kinds of things. He's a lot like a brother I never had.
There's the floor guy that started the same time as I did. I could see him being a friend when I start my new job if he wasn't so tied up in "his second job". But he's easy going, and I always like it when I've had a few minutes to B.S. with him.
Another easy going fellow on the floor is one guy that doesn't fit the stereotype appearance of "hardware store guy". But he knows a lot of stuff for his age. Some question as to his work ethic, but I can understand that it happens.
My biggest problem is the guy that used to work there. He was a manger. I loved to chat with him, and it was easy for him to talk to me as well. I was supposed to go to dinner with him Friday night with a couple of his friends and maybe do a movie afterwards. Fine, dutch and we can meet at the restaurant, and maybe drive together to the movie afterwards. Well, he wanted to come to the house to pick me up. Worst, was his cell phone wouldn't work out here, so I'd have to give great directions. But that violates my "rule". Hell, I didn't even let "Mr. Right Here" ever pick me up.
We're going to try this again this week or so. Kinda depends on his schedule. But I will have to try and convince him to meet at the restaurant.
What can go wrong with this types of interactions? A manager getting involved with an employee of the store dates a girl. She breaks up with him and starts dating a floor guy. Manager gets jealous, threatens floor guy and verbally abusive to girl. Manager got to keep his position, floor guy was fired, re-hired and transferred. Girl also got transferred.
That's what can go wrong....
That's why you should keep work and personal separate.
posted by Jenn @ 19:44
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