What A Crappy Attitude

Around twenty years ago, I had a full-time job that I loved, but I wasn’t what I would call “flush” (pun intended) with spare cash for home maintenance, so I worked weekends as a cashier at a large home improvement store. This was not the first home improvement store I had worked in nor was it the last. As a single woman homeowner without the funds to hire a handyperson, I also had a pretty good understanding of what most of the items in the store did.

I had a male coworker who very much behaved as if he knew everything that was required and didn’t seem to have much appreciation for the knowledge of women — and me in particular since I only worked (to him) part-time.

One day, a gentleman came in holding an item that looked pretty familiar to me, and [Coworker] went to assist him. I watched the interaction from my register and got curious when the coworker started walking to the right with the customer when the plumbing section was to the left.

Coworker: “Of course, sir. What you are looking for is right over here in the ventilation section.”

Me: *To the customer* “Excuse me, sir, but is that a toilet flange you are holding?”

Customer: “Yes, it is.”

Me: “Okay, then you need to go left about three aisles down. Replacement flanges are about halfway down the aisle on your right.”

Customer: “Thanks.”

[Coworker] just stared at me for a few seconds, shook his head, and trailed after the customer. Thankfully, it was the last day I had to work with that coworker.