Emily Moser

Dr. Dietel-McLaughlin
Community Based Writing and Rhetoric
9 September 2011
Like Toy Soldiers
There is no better place in the world to bring out your inner child than in a toy store.
Every aspect oI the surroundings creates a Ieeling oI happiness and excitement. The sound oI
Elmo`s voice singing playing over the radio Iills the ears oI the customers as the smell oI Iruit
and soda scented pencils overwhelms their noses. Bright colors cover the place and toys oI all
sorts beg to be played with, while children whiz by on plasma cars, racing and giggling
throughout the store. I always look Iorward to working; how could you not love being in a place
with such an upliIting atmosphere? It`s my second home, it`s my escape Irom schoolwork, and
it`s my place oI independence. Learning Express is a small store where almost all customers are
'regulars, stopping in on an almost weekly basis. Because they come in so oIten, they know us
well. Talking about the children`s lives, Irom school to sports to sibling squabbles, is just as
common as discussing our opinion on new toys. My coworker Michelle is chatting with a
customer about a toy that was Ieatured on Good Morning America this week. It`s a slow
business day because it`s so nice out. The only thing that can stop kids Irom begging to go to a
toy store is beautiIul weather. There are bike rides to take, pools to swim in, and kites to Ily.
Since the store is nearly empty, I begin the task oI personalizing a bin with the name 'Ryan,
space ships, planets, and an astronaut.
We hear the door chime, signaling a customer entering. She is gabbing away on her cell
phone, the thin heels oI her shoes clicking and clacking on the wood Iloor. Her bleach blonde
hair, bug eyed sunglasses, and Coach purse don`t Iit the mold oI the typical customer. It`s
impossible to miss her arm Iull oI bags, and to me this signals one thing: returns. I set my
project down and make my way to the register to greet her. 'I`m glad the party is next weekend,
my boys already have a double header on Saturday and we just wouldn`t be able to Iind the time
to go! she explains to the person on the other line, as she heaves her bags onto the counter with
a loud thump. She waves her hands over the bags and holds a receipt toward me, which I take. I
want to roll my eyes as I type on the computer, scanning the items and doing what I was trained
to do. I don`t like it when customers have that 'I`m above you attitude. When an item doesn`t
scan I`m not even Iazed. I just look through the computer system to Iind it. Scrolling, scrolling,
scrolling, but nothing. 'Michelle, I call across the store. 'Can you come here Ior a second?
Together we look, but we can`t Iind any history oI carrying this plastic hot pink purse at our
store. Now we have a problem to deal with.
'Excuse me, Ma`am? I try to get the woman`s attention; she momentarily snaps out oI
her conversation to mutter a 'Huh? 'We don`t carry this item at our store, I`m sorry I won`t be
able to return it. I inIorm her. She stares at me and quickly says 'I`ll call you back as she
abruptly snaps her phone shut. 'I`m not looking to return this item; I would like to exchange it
Ior a diIIerent color, she takes the time to explain to me. I repeat my previous statement to her,
with the amendment that we are not able to exchange it because we don`t carry it. 'Are you
kidding me? she glares as me with a scoII and Ilip oI the hair. 'I drove 40 minutes to get here
to exchange this bag. What do you expect me to do now? AIter thinking Ior a moment, I
decide to call other stores to check their supply. The woman stands there as I am on the phone,
impatiently tapping her long Iake nails on the counter, never taking her eyes oII me. Ten
minutes later with no luck, it`s clear that no other stores in the area have the toy in stock. The
woman did not seem pleased. 'I just don`t understand why this has taken so long. I`ll just return
the bag and get my money back, I need to leave. I stood there dumbstruck Ior a moment; I Ielt
like I was speaking to a rock. Had she understood a word I`d said? The conversation continued
in a pattern that was getting us absolutely nowhere, and both oI our patience began to run out.
'Do you see this receipt? It says Learning Express. The way she said the words
screamed oI the stupidity she thought I possessed. 'Do you see this receipt? It says Learning
Express in Geneva. The stores are individually owned, so iI we don`t carry the item we aren`t
obligated to accept the return. was my reply; surely my own voice reIlecting my Irustration. I
my shoulders tensed as I took the deIensive. Michelle sensed it too, and came to my aid.
'Ma`am, iI you were to return it to the other store you would be able to get store credit there.
This lady would just not have it. We continued to talk in circles, getting nowhere. I couldn`t
believe her nerve. Did she not think that I had anything better to do than argue about our store
policy with her? A noticeable line oI customers was Iorming now. The counter was overtaken,
not only by her massive amount oI stuII but also by her now wild arm motions. Her angry voice
overtook the Elmo music playing in the store.
The stars aligned to provide us no source oI higher authority. The owners were having a
splendid time at Disney World, attending a toy convention and conveniently not having cell
phone reception. Being a small store, there are no managers. There are no bosses. There are the
owners and there are the workers, and workers are expected to possess a certain level oI
independence. But what do you do? I had worked there a year, something like this had never
happened to me beIore. I Ielt my Irustration turning into panic and conIusion. The woman was
not backing down. Should I just cave in and attempt to return the item? I obviously can`t yell
back. Michelle is doing her best to mediate and take care oI the newly Iormed swarm oI needy
customers. It`s up to me to take care oI this beIore it gets out oI hand. 'Ma`am, I don`t know
what else to say. I will Iinish returning what I`m able to, but then I will have to ask you to
leave. Her Iace lit Iire. 'Don`t! Bother! I`m leaving and don`t expect me to be coming back,
but your boss sure will be hearing Irom me, she spat as she snatched up her bags and stormed
out oI the store. Watching her go, I think to myselI, 'What have I done?
The next customer steps up in line and smiles at me. I try to smile back but I Ieel shaky,
and a million thoughts race through my head. What were my bosses going to think? She could
lie about what happened. Would I be in trouble? Had I handled the situation correctly? No
worker deserves to be treated like that. Had I been on the other side oI the counter, I wouldn`t
have acted the way she did. The more I thought about what had just happened, the more I
wanted to run to the storeroom and sit on the cool cement Iloor between all oI my Iavorite toys
and shut down. Instead I go through the motions, ringing up this customer. She was a regular, I
knew her boys. They were laughing and trying to sneak more toys into the pile oI things they
were already getting, the usual procedure. I scan each item, pulling out toys that didn`t belong
and putting them oII to the side as I went. Kids think they`re clever, but toy store employees
know that usually mom doesn`t know about the voice changing megaphone strategically hidden
under the math workbooks. 'You know, she was out oI line. I look up, and see that the lady is
talking to me. 'That was rude. She shouldn`t blame you, you don`t decide the policy. I relax a
bit, and thank her with a Iorced smile. 'II she tells your bosses anything bad, call me. I have
only good things to say. You are great with the kids and have been nothing but polite to me.
Honey, don`t worry about it. I start to Ieel like a weight is liIting oII oI my shoulders. AIter
such a jarring conIrontation, it was one oI the kindest things in the world Ior her to say these
things. I scanned as many coupons as I could apply to her purchase and as she was on her way
out, genuinely wished Ior her to 'Have a great day!