Being a Cashier

I don't know how most people who stay up late also wake up early. I wake up at 7 am every weekday and whenever on the weekends. I get ready by 7 30 and I go to school. Every morning I grab breakfast from the high school, every morning I eat it at the NPC. It's a routine schedule and I follow it regularly. I am a NAVIT student, a Holbrook High School student, and a part time Popeye’s Employee. Most days I only have school to attend, NAVIT in the morning and high school at noon. I know I’m talking about school, but I want to focus this blog on my work. Three days a week (My schedule changes a lot) I have to go to Popeye’s to work a register. I usually only work one full shift a week, but sometimes they’re under-handed and need me to stay longer the days I’m only supposed to work 4 hours. From my co-workers perspective, I want a break because I’m lazy. What they don’t understand is that unlike them, I’ve been busy the entire day. Because of NAVIT, I don’t even get a real lunch break. They, on the other hand, only have to deal with Popeye’s business. The honest truth is, being a cashier is not difficult whatsoever. You could train a monkey to stand up there and handle money all day, it’s a simple task. What’s difficult is having to deal with customers. Every time someone walks through the door, you have to say, “Welcome back to Popeye’s!” with as much enthusiasm as you can muster. What grinds my gears is the fact that 90% of the time, the customer replies with, “Welcome back? I’ve never been here before!” They have a good laugh about it but I’m dying a little every time behind my forced smile. Most people that stop by are neutral, they take chicken and leave treating it as business. Every now and then I’ll get a customer that makes my day, with kind words and gestures, maybe a $1 tip every here and then. But then there is the rude customers. The truckers that are covered in sweat, wreak of Alcohol, are missing every tooth but a few black ones, and take their chicken VERY seriously. They will hound you about prices, order all of a certain piece, throw a fit if you don’t have said pieces, and will want to talk to a manager if the slightest thing doesn’t go their way. An example: Friday the 19^th, 2016. I was working with my manager Shannon, my fryer Bronson, and my co-cashier David. Shannon is taking orders while I’m packing them. I hear a trucker order a two piece, then complain about the price. Shannon says “I can’t make it any cheaper for you, I’d get in trouble.” The man harasses her trying to get a discount on his $5 meal, but doesn’t get it. My manager sends me on break, and I start packing myself some food. Him and his buddies see my grabbing my chicken tenders and call me towards them. They ask me, “Is that your food?” I say yes. “Well, we don’t appreciate you eating around everyone else’s food, licking it and stuff.” I was bewildered. I hadn’t put my food anywhere near my mouth yet and I was getting called out. “I haven’t even touched my food yet.” I told them. “We saw you do it!” they retorted. I tried ignoring them and going to the back, when they start staring at Bronson. “What the hell are you looking at?” Bronson asked them. They backed away sheepishly and asked for a manager. Shannon pointed out she was the manager and they scoffed. “We’ll just call corporate, then.” They take their chicken and leave and at this point I’m not even hungry anymore. All it took was three dudes and a lie to ruin my night. I was so angry thinking of any way I could get back at the man, but I just sat there, fuming, telling myself they would be gone in 5 minutes anyway. That kind of self-control is why I still have my job.