Condom conversation
So, I resigned from Superdrug, and yesterday as I chased my last ever shop lifter, I had to pretend I was all emotional and keeping it all inside. Truth is I didn’t really give a feck. I was more bothered about getting home to J who, despite being very brave, was in a lot of pain from his second wisdom tooth extraction and needed moral support and soft food. I’ll see all my friends again at the byebye party I’m having on Tues, and subsequently when I return from Prague. And I can earn better money more easily from my singing, so the money isn’t an issue. Superdrug is definitely the worst company I have ever worked for.
I think the most fun I had all day involved saying "pardon?" to a Liverpudlian couple a record five times (naughty habit I know, but the voices make me want to rip my ears off), being stroppy to the 13 year olds trying on all the makeup, and then adopting a rich eastern European accent - getting away with it beautifully, may I add. "Is-a for youw? Is veery nice!"
One observation I have made from working there, is that boys are considerably more embarrassed than girls when it comes to buying condoms. (Maybe this is because many girls know how much more embarrassing it can be to buy a pregnancy test!) The boys shuffle up to the till, eyes down, and quickly shove the little box onto the counter.
"Do you want a bag?" I ask brightly.
*Grunt*
"Two pounds sixty-nine please." (Cringe! Why did I have to say sixty-nine? Of all the numbers… He knows how much they are!)
It’s worse when they’re paying by card.
"Can you enter your pin and then press enter please?" (Could I have said the word enter with less nuance? Why did I say it twice?)
And even worse if the card machine’s playing up.
"Don’t worry, it’s taking a while today. Don’t know what the problem is. It’s me, not you. Sorry love."
I love the condoms (as it were). I can just picture the scene :))
Comment by Lis of the North — May 28, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
It’s odd that it’s embarrasing tbh although having said that it always is slightly. I’m blaming my strict upbringing and general stiff upper lip attitude to life.
It is certainly more difficult when the person behind the till is female/attractive/deliberately trying to make you feel three inches tall.
I was amused to discover today that the Cadbury’s double choc bars (which a female friend of mine described as “instant orgasm”) were selection number 69 in the vending machine at work, and also the central manchester family planning centre is at 69 Dickenson Road.
And yes, work is actually that boring :-)
Comment by thetallone — May 31, 2007 @ 7:10 pm
Oh, it’s my fault he’s embarrassed is it, because I’m female and attractive? Teehee.
Yes maybe you need a bit of stimulation in your job, and sitting there thinking about soixante-neuf certainly won’t be good for productivity!
Comment by missdespina — May 31, 2007 @ 7:22 pm