I figured out why I'm sometimes a wee prickly at Literotica

[Dixon Carter Lee]

It's because I live in Los Angeles.

I walk into a grocery store this morning, and I get a "Hello, Sir, welcome to Ralph's!" from some guy bagging groceries. The guy at the deli counter insists that I "try this cheese, Sir!" and hands me a slice. The checkout girl asks me if I "found everything alright, Sir?", and then asks me if I "need help" out to my car, Sir. (I had, like, one bag.) The security guard smiles at me on the way out, and even a transient in the parking lot is singing and give me a "God bless you, Sir" after I refuse to hand him any change.

And it's like that everywhere. You can't walk into a Blockbuster without everyone saying "Hello! Hi there! How are you today?" with these big white-toothed grins.

I can't stand it. I can't stand it, I tell you. I KNOW all this fake politeness is a company mandate forced upon the employees and crafted during some stupid marketing research weekend get-away retreat brainstorming raft-riding corporate team building seminar, and I resent the hell out of it. I resent that people in this city are overly polite to me because some guy in cubicle three wrote a report on how manners equal profits, so we're going to have manners, Goddammit! I swear, every time I hear one of these poor underpaid nametage-wearing kids say "Hi! How are you today?" I can almost hear some corporate Stage Mommy under the desk screaming "Smile, Baby!"

Is it any wonder I come here ready to chew someone's head off? It's L.A.'s fault! I'll work on it. Anyway, that's my excuse...what's yours?

 

[alexandraaah]

It's just how I am.

 

[WhatsHerName]

I have to have an excuse????

Really just wanted to pop in and say HI!

 

[Nora]

Just remember one thing. That kid at the Blockbuster, the sacker at Ralph's, the kid who valet parks your car. Underneath that smile they're all thinkin' the same thing.

"Fuck you, you arrogant pusshead. I got better things to do than lick your ass, so just get the hell outta my face. One day I'm gonna direct!"

 

[perks]

no, draaah, I shaved you in my dreams last night. You can't be prickly anymore, I'm talented.

 

[lovetoread]

Can I blame it on everyone else too?

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Just remember one thing. That kid at the Blockbuster, the sacker at Ralph's, the kid who valet parks your car. Underneath that smile they're all thinkin' the same thing.

"Fuck you, you arrogant pusshead. I got better things to do than lick your ass, so just get the hell outta my face. One day I'm gonna direct!"

I KNOW! Which is why I have nothing but empathy for them, and I'm always polite right back.

Can you imagine how that kind of rage-swallowing builds up inside a guy?

 

[Nora]

I KNOW! Which is why I have nothing but empathy for them, and I'm always polite right back.

Can you imagine how that kind of rage-swallowing builds up inside a guy?

You have no idea how well I can imagine it. Wanna borrow my knife? *smiles a thin, brittle veneer of a smile*

 

[The Nitelight]

... Beats being a wee prick at Literotica...

 

[sunstruck]

My excuse? I AM one of those poor schmucks. Fund raising is half my job which means I have to be sugary sweet all fucking day no matter how much I want to scream. And when large contributers call me right in the middle of a project and ask me to take time out of my day to talk them through changing the toner catridge in their fax machine I have to do it despite the fact that it has nothing to do with my job and I could care less weather they get the comic strip their grandson wants to send them.

So I get a bit testy from time to time.

 

[dreamer]

And it's like that everywhere. You can't walk into a Blockbuster without everyone saying "Hello! Hi there! How are you today?" with these big white-toothed grins.

I did a brief stint as a manager for Blockbuster and let me tell you the employees HATE it too. It is one of their hot buttons and is worth a TON of points on their mystery shop scores. These scores are right up there with the bottom line of the store when it comes to job security for the managers. They HAVE to turn and greet EVERY customer. It's kinda funny when I go in to rent a video I will find myself 'pausing' awaiting my greeting before continuing in further. Pitiful...and I hate it too...but in some sick twisted Viacom mind THIS is good customer service...

Yeah I get sick of the fake happies. I don't need a sales clerk taking his bad day out on me, but DAMN a little humanity would be SOO much better than the saccharine smiles and innane "Have a nice days!"

 

[RawHumor]

I just come here to flirt with Sunny and Estevie and a few others.

I'd prefer their false-politeness to what we got at Subway a few weeks ago:

A young woman in her late teens or early 20's is talking to her co-worker. As we walk in, she boredly looks over the counter at us and asks, "Do you know what you want?"

But at least she was being honest with her attitude.

 

[juicylips]

I figured out why I'm sometimes a wee prickly at Literotica

Sometimes???????



JL

 

[*bratcat*]

 

[lilrosie lips]

Born that way... but at least in your part of LA Dixon, they speak English to you.... Here you get shitty looks cause you don't speak Spanglish back...

 

[lisalove]

Reminds me of those greeters at Walmart. Holy fudge I just want to choke them. You can tell they're really saying "Hi, Welcome to Walmart. Enjoy your visit. I've got a fucking Masters in History, but this is the best job I can get."

 

[Rubyfruit]

Go to Connecticut. The clerks there won't look you in the eye or acknowledge your presense in any way, unless of course they're staring you down to encourage you to do your own bagging.

No thanks. I'll take nice and polite anyday, even if they don't mean it.

 

[Nora]

I went to LA once to visit my dad's cousins. I hated it. I mean, really hated it. I've been a lot of places in the world and never had that kinda reaction before.

My relatives were rude and shallow in the extreme (except for my 2nd cousin once removed who was cool, but preggo by some...well, anyway, it shoulda been on a soap opera).

It never *occurred* to them that I would want to take in some of the cultural events in the city and they looked at me like I was a freak when I suggested some museum visits. Instead they made me go to Rodeo Dr. Oh, and the one visual that's stayed with me was a VW Jetta with a gold package.

(Psst..Dixon? Have a nice day! )

 

[unclej]

i'm with you ruby.

dcl, come spend some time in my little home town and you'll find that the welcomes and wishes for a good day are pretty much sincere. 'course i know everybody in town so it's easy to tell who the bullshitters are.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

This is why New York is more civilized. Deli workers there are polite enough to understand that you're busy and need a bagel NOW and manners just waste everyone's fucking time.

 

[lilrosie lips]

It never *occurred* to them that I would want to take in some of the cultural events in the city and they looked at me like I was a freak when I suggested some museum visits. Instead they made me go to Rodeo Dr. Oh, and the one visual that's stayed with me was a VW Jetta with a gold package.

(Psst..Dixon? Have a nice day! )

That basically is High culture in LA... you're lucky, they could have taken you to City Walk at Universal Studios.

 

[Rubyfruit]

I think City Walk is kind of nice.

You guys quit bashing my home town!

 

[lilpriss]

I just get cranky when people are stupid... or gym workers ogle at me... or when people forget that how to drive... I get especially prickly when I am not getting any.

 

[Hamletmaschine]

My weenie gets a little prickly in the summer, too. Get some unguent.

 

[April]

Actually, I feel the same way about the fake, forced cheerfulness you see at retail stores. As a customer, it creeps me out, and if it gets excessive, I leave. As an employee, I don't like it, because it's fake.

It's just one of the reasons I wasn't fond of Walmart. The greeters gave me the creeps.