Points for Smiling (Or 'Why the Queen Shouldn't Have a Goatee')

"Last week's takings were just over last week's budget."

This was good, I thought, without much knowledge of what it really meant.

"This is good.' My new boss said 'but we need to work harder today. The budget is low today, but it looks miserable outside."

It did, I thought. She was right. Do people not read in the rain?

"We've also had another fake twenty-pound note accepted. You look at it, and it's really obvious to see. The paper feels thicker. The ink has smudges. And the face of the queen watermark, it's so bad that it looks like the queen has a goatee. The queen has a goatee guys! We have to be more careful!"

I would try, damn it! I hadn't been at all careful, since I hadn't been taking twenty-pound notes, so it wouldn't be hard to be more careful than that.

I certainly wouldn't allow any bearded ladies on my shift.

"And lastly, I'd just like to introduce everyone to Chris, the new guy. I really should have said that first, shouldn't I?"

And with that, the room of people turned to wave and tell me their names. There was blonde girl, and what's-her-face, and that guy and...

...yeah, I wasn't too good at remembering names. I remember there was an Alice and two Daves, but the rest are just nameless faces to me.

My new working life had begun.

* * *

Dave turned to me. At least, I think his name was Dave. I tried extra hard to not say his name, just in case.

"I think you'll be fine trying this on your own now."

I'd been watching him work the till for the last fifteen minutes. He'd talked fast, and pressed buttons faster.

But the next customer looked easy enough. She was a small weedy woman, shrunk into herself. I could help her with whatever she wanted. I WOULD help her!

"Hi. How may I help you?"

"Do you have any books on domestic abuse? Because my husband commits domestic abuse and I want to understand him."

You can't make this up.

I froze. I ummed and ahhed until Dave strode right in and took the reigns from me. He was confident and smiley and he ordered her the book that she was after.

I just watched and thought about slipping her the phone number of a charity or something. Was she serious? She said it with such straight-forwardness, that I was looking for a hidden camera or something.

My first customer, and I'd failed her.

* * *

"Do you have one of our points cards?" I said with all the smiles a question like that deserves.
"Um...no?" the customer said, with the unnecessary question mark included.

Earlier, this would have been the end. I would have run the total and asked for the money and sent them on their merry way. Not this time. Not on my watch!

"Would you like one?"

They thought for a moment. They looked at me. I smiled a 'You should really get a points card' smile.

"Sure. Yeah. Why not?"

Success!

I had convinced a customer to trust us enough to accept a piece of plastic. That meant they were more likely to shop here again, which earns the company more money which means I was finally doing my job well.

The customer looked at me quizzically whilst I thought this. Then: "So, um, what do I need to do?"

Ah.

"Dave? How do I give a customer a points card?"

So, maybe there are still things I need to learn.

:P

http://krecha.deviantart.com/art/BOOK-SHOP-63585746