What Retail Has Taught Me and Other Jazz

After working for Kohl’s, Wal-Mart, Beall’s, Texas Furniture and Toys “R” Us, this is what I have to say about it all:

• If you sign up to work in retail, you’re signing up for verbal abuse from customers.
• Some of the hardest working people are the most underpaid.
• When you work with the public, if you don’t find reasons to laugh, you’ll cry. (And even then, you’ll probably still end up crying at some point. Because people suck.)
• Going to Target after your shift ends and keeping your red uniform on = bad idea.
• Trust no one fully.
• Daily hugs make a difference.
• Daily smiles make a difference.
• When the day is horrible as can be, use pointless optimism. Even as you don’t believe it, tell yourself the day will be delicious, the sunset will be beautiful.
• Communicate.
• Carry your own weight.
• Jump at chances to help people.
• Amuse yourself.
• Throw fluffy things.
• Know when to walk away.

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I move to West Virginia in 75 days.

I’m very ready.

And yet I’m not.

Soak it in now, that’s what a little voice is saying.

Make some more memories with your family.

Don’t be so eager to vanish.

Tonight was my last night working for Toys “R” Us. I feel odd.

I stayed with the company for a year.

I’ve been such a twister of anxiety and frenzied productivity. I need to do nothing but sit in an office all day.

Which is pretty much what my next job will involve. I am very happy about this.

I’ll tell you something, I’ve wanted to either be a librarian or work in an office for a very long time.

Librarian is still my dream job, honestly.

I want to work in a library so badly.

Argh.

One day.