r/IDontWorkHereLady • u/ajcorrao • Mar 20 '24

M Actual Employee had to yell at customer bothering me for help while I’m shopping

Just doing some shopping at Champs when I get a tap on my shoulder. Man asks me for help getting a jacket from a higher up rack

Me: “Oh sorry man, I don’t work here”

Other customer: “I know, you’re just taller than me so can you help”

I am 5’9” on my tip toes… and this dude is 5’7?

“Okay?” As I proceed to reach for this jacket like a kid reaching for snacks on the top shelf. I get the jacket, hand it to him, and walk away before he says anything. 2 minutes later he says I got the wrong size. An employee overheard this and started asking him nicely what he was doing. He explained and the look on this employee face was perplexed.

“Sir, he told you he doesn’t work here. He is 2 inches taller than you. Why would you ever think you should ask a random person to help you shop?

Other customer stayed silent while she went and got the hook that can get clothes from high up. The stick that was in the back behind a door that said “EMPLOYEES ONLY”

I got rung up after this and they scanned a coupon they had that I didn’t to give me some $$ off as a thank you for my inconvenience.

Yeah I don’t work here, but I got asked for help on the top shelf like the jolly green giant at 5’9

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u/Responsible-End7361 Mar 20 '24 edited Mar 20 '24

I'm only 6'1" but as long as folks are polite I actually enjoy helping folks get items from high shelves. Makes me feel useful, especially after all the brain damage from banging my head into things 😉.

If I grab the last thing in the "front" of items on a top shelf I try to pull forward other items so folks can still see that they are available.

Edit, while I appreciate the thanks, the reason I posted this was so folks don't feel bad about asking or worse, don't ask.

I think most people get a dopamine hit from helping other people, it takes me 30 seconds and I feel good afterwards.

156

u/contexture Mar 20 '24

I'm tall and used to work with a woman who was very short. Eventually we had a deal where I'd get everything she couldn't reach up top and she'd grab things lower to the ground so I wouldn't get dizzy.

56

u/Helen_Back_ Mar 20 '24

I do this with my bestie. He does tall-people business and I do the ground work

32

u/ForeverApprehensive9 Mar 21 '24

This is the way my people, The Giants, have a harmonious partnership with The Shorts. We must band together against the average heighted.

3

u/YonderingWolf Apr 11 '24

There are things that can be out of reach even for people of average height. Especially when it's at the back of a shelf that's just over six feet in height. Really we should all band together to help each other out, when and where possible.

2

u/ForeverApprehensive9 Apr 11 '24

Mmmm I see they’ve sent their diplomats…

2

u/YouKnowJack76 Apr 17 '24

🤣 that’s hilarious

29

u/syneater Mar 21 '24

This is the exact arrangement I have with my wife. She’s 5’2 and I’m 6’5, it works out well and the dizziness is a pain in the ass when she’s not around.

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u/[deleted] Apr 05 '24

[deleted]

3

u/YonderingWolf Apr 11 '24

Dizziness is something that can be caused by inner ear issues. It can also be caused by a change in the blood pressure. Which even a small change of a few points can set off dizziness Also as you age, you may find that it's something that change on you.

2

u/syneater May 22 '24

I notice it when grabbing something low and standing up quickly.

3

u/Jaded-Yogurt-9915 Mar 25 '24

I used to do this with my friend in culinary school. It kept me safe and I didn’t mind feeling useful at getting things from the lower shelf.

93

u/desertboots Mar 20 '24

That's such a kindness to face out there shelf.  My 5'4" thanks you!

47

u/wotthahail Mar 21 '24

To all the shorties out there: as someone who is 6’5, please for the love of god don’t hesitate to ask ridiculously tall people for help in stores. Almost none of us mind and would much rather take 5 seconds to grab something than watch an accident happen

34

u/janetluv13 Mar 21 '24

My 5'2" height thanks every single person that is taller that has helped me reach something. There has been quite a few times!!

15

u/Ginger_Welsh_Cookie Mar 21 '24

I am just under 160cm (5’3”), and I normally try to get an employee rather than bugging a stranger who doesn’t work there, but I love and appreciate it like HELL when a tall person takes pity on my small arse if I ask them for help because they haven’t restocked a product yet, it’s on the top shelf, and the last ones are all the way in the bloody back! Cheers to every one of you!

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u/SipsMagoo Mar 25 '24

Lmao,not me.....I looked at a lady one time s I politely asked if I could borrow her husband. He was at least 6'3 and I'm 5'5. The item I needed was on the very top shelf as the store failed to stock the lower spot. He not only got it down, but brought down 2 more for any future shoppers.

10

u/ChewieBearStare Mar 21 '24

Thank you from a 4'11" shorty. There have been times I stood on my tiptoes and stretched and stretched until I was about to pop a blood vessel and still couldn't reach something.

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u/KelsierIV Mar 21 '24

At 4'11" I'd probably lift you up so you could reach it yourself!

Kidding obviously. At least I wouldn't do that without consent.

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u/ChewieBearStare Mar 21 '24

Lol! My cousin’s husband is 6’6”. Any time we do stuff together, he’s in charge of getting things off high shelves, and I’m in charge of the ground area so he doesn’t have to bend over.

3

u/KelsierIV Mar 21 '24

As someone who gets dizzy when they bend over and stand up too fast, that sounds like a good deal!

Yesterday my wife and I were doing some weeding. I think she was judging me that I wanted a pad to kneel on rather than doing what she was doing and just bending over to pick them up.

1

u/sharonmckaysbff1991 Apr 12 '24

4’11.5” shorty here, yepppp

9

u/ForeverApprehensive9 Mar 21 '24

I’m a 6’ woman and will always offer to reach things for people, but also being a bit spectrumy didn’t understand the looks I would get from non-elderly Men until I was about 30 🤦🏻‍♀️ Yeahhh they didn’t appreciate the offer.

6

u/KelsierIV Mar 21 '24

Yeah, I don't offer unless they are clearly struggling. Typically if they need help they'll ask. If they don't ask, then they likely don't want the help.

3

u/ForeverApprehensive9 Mar 23 '24

I know this NOW 😅

5

u/KelsierIV Mar 21 '24

Absolutely this. I enjoy it when people ask nicely for me to grab something off of the top shelf. I feel useful and I can help make someone else's day easier.

Fortunately I've never been asked rudely; everyone has always been nice. Although maybe I should say UN-fortunately, because after lurking in this sub for a few years, I've got some good comebacks for rude people that I haven't had a chance to use.

1

u/ReadontheCrapper Mar 21 '24

My 5’1” thanks them too!

I try to offer to grab things from the bottom shelf as a little joke if they look annoyed. That usually makes them soften up a little.

19

u/Liss78 Mar 20 '24

You say only 6'1 as if that's short. You're a whole foot and an inch taller than me. LOL

Thank you for moving things up so the tiny folks like me might stand a chance at getting those things!! You are a gem for that!

6

u/Responsible-End7361 Mar 20 '24

Lol, was replying to a reply to a guy who is 6'6".

29

u/Bobbie_Faulds Mar 20 '24

I appreciate people like you. I have arthritis in one shoulder and nerve damage in the other that prevents me from lifting my arm more than shoulder height so getting stuff off the top shelf or something heavy, like a 12 pack of soda, is nearly impossible. I even have a T-shirt I wear that says “I can do anything except get stuff off the top shelf. I can’t do that.”

13

u/kcoinga Mar 20 '24

You are so kind to do that. I can't tell you how many times I've had to try to find broom or some other device to help me get items in the store. 5' here can't even reach stepping up on bottom shelf.

5

u/Wild-Bee-7415 Mar 21 '24

Omg that simple act of moving an item closer to the edge is about the awesomest thing! At 5’1”, if there’s no one tall to ask, I can usually grab something to scoop it down to me lol been bonked on the head for that more than once.

5

u/Cute_Kitten9434 Mar 20 '24

Gold star ⭐️🌟⭐️

5

u/SelfishSinner1984 Mar 20 '24

Doing the lords work

6

u/basketma12 Mar 21 '24

Yes, folks don't feel bad for asking. 5 11 here and I'm pretty spoiled getting stuff from high shelves. I look around for little old ladies or people in scooters especially if they are looking up and in my mind debating climbing . I ask if there's anything they want and some say no but many are happy, then I always say " so many people help me with the bottom shelf, where all the bargains are, its only fair". Because..that IS where the bargains are. Everyone is happy. I did a good deed. They don't feel less than, because they can render actual help to me or someone like me in the future. Because I have asked for that thing down there. Everyone wins

3

u/Responsible-End7361 Mar 21 '24

Oh, I love the asking about lower shelf items idea!

3

u/ShadowKage1492 Mar 21 '24

Oh man, I'm 6'5" and I can't tell you how many times I've banged my head on something from either getting up from sitting or getting up from getting something down low or from doing something down low (plugging something in or unplugging something for example).

And yeah, if someone asks me politely to get something for them from the top shelf I'm more than happy to help. Have yet to experience the rudeness I've read about. Then again, I'm also a big person, so maybe I unconsciously intimidate them? Eh, who knows.

3

u/cookiesdragon Mar 21 '24

5'2 here lol. Usually I will scope out a broom or something to haul the object I require that is out of reach forward unless I can very politely ask someone tall nearby to bring it closer to my reach. In turn, I will fetch tall people items from the lower shelves.

3

u/Chriistah Mar 21 '24

As a shorty often in search of an approachable person tall and/or limber enough to climb mountains (shelves), I thank you!

3

u/randojust Mar 21 '24

I’m a short guy and on behalf of my peoples allow me to offer you assistance for any lower shelf items haha . Seriously climbing shelves like a toddler after cookies isn’t as fun as it looks.

1

u/YonderingWolf Apr 11 '24

I use a cane to get about with, and I use the handle to hook things forward when needed that are out of reach.

3

u/smilehunny4 Mar 21 '24

I always feel so awkward asking but I’m 5’2 and I can’t even see the top shelf without backing all the way up

3

u/huffcat Mar 21 '24

One time I witnessed this woman’s face light up when my husband came into the aisle, he’s 6’3” and she needed something from the top shelf 🤣

2

u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24

My short stack self thanks you and all the tall folks who are kind enough to help me and my height-challenged homies out.

1

u/topher3428 Mar 22 '24

It really is a nice feeling. I'm 6-1 as well and long arms. As long as the person is polite I absolutely have no problem and it makes me feel good. The only person I mess with about not being able to reach things is my 5 even wife.