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As promised a longer thread. This is pretty much all about working retail right now, with things that are common to all our situations and things specific to mine. So if you think that would be too much maybe give it a pass. 1
Talking with customers about how the store is doing, I usually say something like, “it's really, really busy.” Invariably they say something like, “well, that's a nice problem to have.” Is it though? 2
I want you to imagine YOUR job is 5 times busier than you anticipated. Because people have decided it's important to “shop local” and “save you.” Maybe your boss did an interview in the newspaper and said your store was in danger of closing. 3
I want you to imagine that you have fewer employees right now, because you didn't anticipate it being this busy, and are have based your staffing on sales you have done so far this year, which have been less than in years past. 4
Now I want you to imagine that the phone calls and emails also never stop, and you can't answer them because you are always helping the people in the store, and are constantly ringing people in at the register. 5
You're working your normal hours, which are typically 8 hour shifts, plus coming in early so you can order more books, because you need to get your morning order in before 11 am, and if you trying ordering while people are in the store, you'll miss your cutoff for shipping. 6
And you're also staying 2 hours late to shelve and notify people their orders are in, and emailing people and calling people back who have left messages. In addition, you're finishing the things you've been back-burnering for days. 7
Sometimes you get to eat something while the store is open if you eat really fast in the office, which is chock full of damages you need to report to distributors and publishers if you ever get a free moment. 8
You try not to drink too much so you don't have to use the bathroom, but you need caffeine and 5 hour energy to keep going because you don't think you'll get an actual day off until Christmas. 9
Now I want you to imagine that people who are shopping ask you constantly to reassure them things are going well and you aren't going to close the store. But really you're fairly certain your boss had no intention of closing regardless. 10
You wonder where these well-meaning people who are so concerned have been for the last three years, when your sales we dropping. 11
Now I want you to imagine all of this happens during an active global pandemic, while you are living with your parents who are both in their 80's. 12
I want you to imagine that you are exposed to 100+ people a day who you don't know who may be sick. And there are way too many of them in your tiny store at once. Some are wearing a mask properly, and some aren't. 13
Some are older people who need to be reminded that they are not wearing a mask, and really must. Some are younger people who need to be reminded to keep their masks on, and that is really should cover both their nose and mouth. 14
These may be the same young people who were outside your store laughing, dancing, and standing too close together without masks, just yesterday. You can't really know for sure. 15
Your boss meanwhile, hasn't been to your store for months. At best he stops by to pick up paperwork while the store is closed, but mostly he sends his wife. He has a full-time job working somewhere else. 16
He says thanks many times for all of the great sales days, but hasn't once asked you if you're okay. You think it actually doesn't occur to him that you might not be. 17
You also start to wonder what would happen if you got sick. Could you still live at home or would that be too dangerous? The store would surely have to close, because there is only you and one other employee, and you work together all the time. 18
You remember writing up your Covid-19 action plan, and saying you would close your store for a deep cleaning and report any staff cases to the health department if anyone got sick. Then you remember your boss telling you to delete that part. So it's clear where he stands. 19
Now I ask you this customer. Does any of this sound like “a good problem to have”? 20
Before you ask, yes I am okay. Or about as okay as I can be. But this is the hardest thing I've ever done. 21
Capitalism is a death cult. And I will never forgive our government for abandoning us, and choosing to sacrifice lives so we can keep the gears of this heartless machine churning. 22
