by Shaeffer Smith
I love my job working at Nill Brothers Sports (at 119th and Metcalf- come visit me!). I love the people I work with (shout out to Cody Weems- check him out on Facebook ladies, he’s single and ready to mingle!), my bosses, and my hours. Having a job has given me so many new experiences- some great, some just a tad too awkward.
One of the most awkward things in the world is having to answer a call or show somebody where the athletic cups are. And I’m not talking about a cup for water… In fact, I’m not entirely sure how to explain one because I’m a girl and I don’t need one! No, ma’am, I do not know what kind to get your son, that’s something you’ll have to figure out on your own. Or, better yet, let me get one of the 6 million boys who work here to help you- do I look like I know what you’re talking about? Let me know if you need help with literally anything else.
Another thing that is extremely awkward to me, but probably more awkward to the guy, is when a high school boy comes in to buy a letter jacket, tries it on, and his mom asks me if I think he looks good in it. Regardless if I think the guy is attractive or not, it just puts me in an awkward situation! What if he looks terrible? Or what if he looks really, really hot? I just feel so conflicted at times, but I give my honest opinion even though I am completely caught off guard.
At the Nill, we were built on customer service which means that to every customer that comes in we say “Hi, how are you?” and ask if they need help finding anything. I hate it when people walk in when they’re on the phone- let me help you! I also hate it when people walk in and they claim they know what they’re looking for- LET ME HELP YOU! I get payed to do this, I can help you find it and also provide you company! Don’t leave me awkwardly standing there at the front, I’m bored!
Finally, it always seems that the cash register doesn’t work when I am working alone. Even though our register is LITERALLY from the 90s, it works for everyone else besides me! If I run into a problem, not only do I inconvenience the customer, I am inconvenienced myself because no one else is around to help me. As if I’m not helpless with technology to begin with, trying to work with technology from 2 decades ago is a completely different story! And to make it even better, when someone finally comes to fix whatever happened, they fix it within 2 seconds and makes me seem incapable of working by myself.
These things that happen to me too often overshadow my incredibly hard work I do at the Nill. I really am very good at my job, but when customers put me in awkward situations like that, I’m not sure what to do. Just smile and nod, I guess.
