I wasn't who you thought I was (620 hits)
Category: NoneRating: -0.2 on 35 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by moxie (View user info) at 2004-02-14 16:19:15 EST
So it's 11:00 PM on a Saturday night and I'm walking downtown, bored. I kick the snow off of my Chucks and make my way up the stone steps of L.L Beans, the only place that's open this late at night. If you've ever been to a Beans store, you'll notice that it's generally the same type of people who shop there. They were wearing fleece jackets, loosely fitting pants and Merrils. So, being a short, blonde, teenage girl dressed in old jeans and a black Adeline sweatshirt; I guess you could say I didn't exactly blend in.
Bean's is always fun to visit because the displays are constantly being moved around so it always looks different. It's also fun because they have several places on the second story set up like rooms in a house. This means comfy couches to sit on! I make me way over to the tan leather couch with a card table in front of it and lay out the deck so I can start playing Solitaire. This is when I first noticed that the same woman with short, dark hair that had been following me through the coat section was now here behind me! Um, okay? Maybe she's just surprised that a teenager would be at Beans so late. So I continue playing my game.
After I got bored with that I decided to go look at the stuff they had set out for the new clothing season. This is when the fun started. The same woman was behind me AGAIN! I looked at her for a bit and she approached me, but instead of asking if I needed assistance, pretended to be looking at clothes in a rack near mine. I decided that it would be fun for us to play a game of tag, so I started walking aimlessly around the store. While I was pretending to be enthralled with old men's hats she approached me and asked me if I was planning on buying anything.
"Um, no. I just have nothing else to do so I'm looking around at the stuff here," I replied.
"Well then you have no reason to be here. Be on your way," she gave me a nasty look.
"What harm am I doing by looking at merchandise for fun? I'm not bothering anyone."
"Listen," she said sharply. "I know what you little teenage punks like to do for fun, and I can guarantee that you will NOT be stealing from this store!"
I was quite taken back by this, understandably so. Why the hell would I want to steal from a store which my family practically OWNS? My great-great grandfather was Leon L. Bean himself! That would be just horrible and down right stupid to take something from his store!
"I beg your pardon," I started. "But I'm Jim Gorman's daughter...do you know him?"
The woman lost her color at this.
"Gorman...as in related to the president of the company, Leon Gorman?"
"Yeah, that's my great-uncle."
The woman regained color, but this time her face was a deep shade of red. It was quite amusing to watch. I don't think I've ever seen someone so embarrassed in their life.
"I'm, I'm so....sorry! I-I had no IDEA!" She stammered.
"Understandably so..." I caught a peek at her name tag. "Well thanks, Judy! I'll definitely be mentioning your name when I see my father tomorrow! Goodbye!"
I wonder what ever became of Miss Judy...
User Reviews
Submitted by hamilton (user info) at 2004-09-06 21:21:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by hamilton (user info) at 2004-08-29 22:13:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
I still hate you.
I'm going to -2 this everyday from now on.
Submitted by hamilton (user info) at 2004-03-09 21:59:39 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
this is still the post that defines stupidity on Über
Submitted by Spooner (user info) at 2004-02-15 19:11:13 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
I'm not even going to bother explaining this to people who don't alreasdy get it.
Submitted by Zeccs (user info) at 2004-02-15 18:57:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I finished reading some more reviews and i just had to make another comment.
What the fuck is wrong with going to the store for the hell of it? Who cares if it's late at night? After all, who shoplifts at night, when the ratio of employees to shoppers is much higher? Being in a store at night is less suspiscious than being in one in the day time.
Submitted by Zeccs (user info) at 2004-02-15 18:49:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
I don't know why so many people are giving you shit for this...
I've had people follow me around stores, because they thought i was going to shoplift, and it pisses me off. Just because i look like the type of person who would steal things doesn't mean that i am going to.
Submitted by Hairsphincter (user info) at 2004-02-15 18:30:14 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
moxie = cunt
Submitted by Tastycat (user info) at 2004-02-15 18:14:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
If someone walked into my store and started playing solitaire I wouldn't think much of them. Granted I work in a grocery store, so it's different.
On the other hand, I know what it's like being treated as a little shit just because I'm a teenager. I refuse to be treated like crap, and if I'm ever stereotyped I give them a piece of my mind, though, never very harshly.
I'm sure that even if she did tell her father about the lady he wouldn't've done anything about it, because teenagers are stupid.
Wasn't a bad story though.
Submitted by sinwithin (user info) at 2004-02-15 17:41:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
'Seventh Commandment'
"'You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.'"
-Exodus 20:16
Submitted by FrivolousD at 2004-02-15 17:14:05 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Seems to me the both sides went about this the wrong way. I am 15 and I am constantly being confronted when I go into Rite-Aid with my backpack on after school to get a magazine or something. Are they doing their job...? Meh this is where the white and black lines of duty and snottyness get a little bit grey. The lady shouldn't have been looking down upon you like this but you should have probably understood what her problem was... By the way where did you guys get the assumption the Moxie got her fired? I think you guys took the comment to seriously.
Submitted by hamilton (user info) at 2004-02-14 21:58:56 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
I came back, read this and felt stupider again.
If you're hot, post a picture. At least then you'll do something decent. (Chauvinistic? Just a little)
Submitted by aswicked (user info) at 2004-02-14 19:50:09 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
bongzilla-
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
sick
Submitted by BongZilla (user info) at 2004-02-14 18:00:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I farted and it smells REALLY bad. Like so bad, I have to get up and walk away.
Submitted by Sideburns (user info) at 2004-02-14 17:37:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Ignore my misspellings in that review. I didn't spellcheck it.
-Sideburns
Submitted by Sideburns (user info) at 2004-02-14 17:32:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
You walked into the store for the sole purpose of what? Absolutely nothing. You weren't there to buy anything. In fact, it seemes suspicious when you started camping out and playing solitaire. I used to work at the Gap, and if someone walked into the store and started playing solitaire then decided to walk around with no goals in mind, I'm going to watch this person. The lady was in the wrong by approaching you the way she did.. one of the number one rules of customer service is to not accuse someone of stealing. Especially if you hadn't stolen anything yet. Your actions did seem suspicious and she had every right to watch you.
In today's society, stereotypes do exist and everyone has their opinions of each stereotype. You are a teenager. Not only are you a teenager, you wear a completely different style than LL Bean sells. You're going to be stereotyped no matter what throughout life. You shouldn't ''play games'' with someone just because they're doing their job. If it were me being watched(yes, I've been watched in stores before) I would straight up approach the employee that's eyeing me. This has happened twice to me. I explained that I knew that she was watching me, and since I worked retail, I actually gave her tips on how to remain less obvious.
The second time I was being 'watched', it was a girl my age. I approached her and it turns out she didn't suspect me of shoplifting, she just thought I was hot.
What's the moral of the story?
Maybe the lady had the hots for you.
-Sideburns
Submitted by BigBlackAfrica (user info) at 2004-02-14 17:07:11 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Well,
A) If it was so late and you had nothing to do, why didn't you go home instead of aimlessly wandering around and thus making you suspicious looking? I'm a black guy, I'm going to get followed around regardless of what time or day or what store I'm at, but you know, I like to minimize my 'suspiciousness' in the eyes of the workers but not doing stupid things like going into a store late at night and just wandering around and playing around. Thats just stupid.
B) Why would the woman care if you were related to the owner or manager or whatever or the store? Couldn't she just testify that she was only making sure you didn't do anything stupid? It was 11 at night, you were alone apparently, and you were wandering around, then you even gave her some lip: "I've got nothing better to do so I'm in here", which just sounds retarded. Your great uncle or whoever your related to, should reward that woman for not taking crap from any child suspiciously wandering around.
C) If your going to throw out names to get out of tight spots, at least make sure you didn't put yourself in that tight spot in the first place...
Submitted by Spooner (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:50:32 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
A) Let's not kid ourselves, you think you're hot shit for getting that lady (supposedly) fired.
B) Common Sense: If you're a teem walking around late at night, you're going to look suspicious.
C) From now on, if someone has a negative rating after 5 posts, they're automatically banned. Says I.
Submitted by hamilton (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:48:04 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Fuck, it's like trying to explain something to a brick wall.
I'm leaving
Submitted by moxie (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:46:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
**someone
woops.
Submitted by hamilton (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:46:34 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
So what you're saying, is that it isn't the ladies job to look for shoplifters?
If you have a guard dog, but a burgler gets in the house, should you try to stop him? According to you, no. It's the guard dogs job.
IDIOT!
Submitted by moxie (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:45:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Okay, Hamilton, someone REALLY needs to take a chill pill. I wrote a fucking STORY, okay? BongZilla understood that. What you and spooner seem to be under the misimpression is that I posted this to seem cool cause I got a lady fired! wooo! wrong. I posted it because it happens all too often that snotty bitches go and repremand something for doing nothing at all.
Another thing. Throwing around insults to ellude that I am a retard? Come on, you can do better than that. And another? What short bus do you know of that has wireless internet service in it. Right...
Submitted by Spooner (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:45:20 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Security Cameras can only see who stole what, it can't prevent things from ebing stolen.
She went the extra mile for the company, trying to prtect the merchandise. As a semi-owner of the store, you should appreciate that.
Submitted by hamilton (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:45:09 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
SECURITY CAMERAS DON'T DO SHIT!
They watch for obvious things, like weapons. If I really wanted to, i could walk to a store, and walk out with three new t-shirts! As an employee, it's that ladies job to watch for suspicious looking people, like you. if you don't like it, don't get daddy to do something. Just leave and never come back
Submitted by moxie (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:42:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Bean's has over 50 security cameras all over that damn place. That woman's job is to FOLD CLOTHES, not to kick someone out for not doing anything.
Submitted by hamilton (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:42:17 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
ene though i talk with the eloquence of a brick wall, i think spooner said it well.
I'm a teenager, i wear black and i lok suspicious. Any teenager does.
When you're at at 11, people might think that you're a little suspicious.
Did you type this on daddies laptop on the short bus?
It's people like you who give teenagers a bad name. Boo-hoo, this lady thought that i might be stealing, and that is like, so wrong. SHUT THE FUCK UP!
just read spooners comment, he can write and i can't
Submitted by Spooner (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:39:33 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
You not only alluded to that she had been fired, but by telling your parents about her you're pretty much telling me you wanted to get her fired or at least scolded.
SHE WAS DOING HER JOB!
Let's go through this one more time. You're a teen. Teens shoplift. This doesn't mean you're going to steal something, but it does mean she would be right in being worried that you might.
Submitted by moxie (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:36:57 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
who ever said she got fired? I highly doubt anyone even talked to her. All she did was judge someone on appearance. Not a crime, but definitely irritating. About the silver spoon comment? Ummm, have you ever seen what LL Beans SELLS? They sell hunting and outdoors clothing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but being brought up by people wearing flannel and Bean boots doesn't quite fit my description of "being born with silver spoon".
Submitted by BongZilla (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:33:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I don't blame you. fuck that old woman. she could have gone about her actions with a different approach.
-BongZilla
Submitted by Spooner (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:33:50 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
What you SHOULD have done is either not walk around at night in stores (sorry ma'am, but you're a teen, people are going to think you might shoplift. You know why? Because teens shoplift.) or at least simply explained to the person that you wouldn't steal from the store your parents pretty much own.
She wasn't shallow at all, she was just doing her damned job. So how's that? You got her fired for doing her job.
Did your parents drop you in a barrel of stupid when you were young?
Submitted by hamilton (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:30:19 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
if you look like your going to steal, perhaps she has a reason to follow you?
Submitted by hamilton (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:29:42 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
talk about a born with silver spoon chick.
So you would get someone fired because YOU look suspicious?
(mutters) damn little..............
Submitted by aswicked (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:28:13 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
i hate people who do that. they follow you around the friggin store trying really poorly not to be obvious that they suspect you of shoplifting.
people judge on appearance.
Submitted by moxie (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:27:39 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
The real question is- who's more shallow? The woman who picked me out to be shoplifting because I looked different? Or me being pissed because she did that. I've seen more old ladys shove things in their purses in that store than teenage kids. What would I want stealing an old men's hat?
Submitted by freebie (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:23:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Good story.
Submitted by Spooner (user info) at 2004-02-14 16:23:37 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
You got a lady fired because she (reasonable so) worried about shoplifting? Congrats, you're shallow.
At least it was nicely written. =/