Adventures in Retail: Medical Scrubs Really Can Be Dangerous to Your Health

Most of us at some point in our lives have worked as a customer service representative. Whether it was a cashier in a gas station, fast food drive through, or waitress at the local diner. Here are a few stories that I wanted to share about customers I deal with on a daily basis. This is my first time in the clothing retail business, and I never realized just how crazy we as customers can become. *side note* As I don't give out my real name, I will always refer to myself as Nipsy.

CREEPY DOCTOR GUY

This one is a must for my top weird customer of all times, so far of course. A doctor in his early 50's I would guess, came into my store one night, looking for medical scrubs. He explained that it had been years since he had worn actual scrubs, and he needed some help to pick some out. So we headed over to the mens section and as I was starting to show him the different options for tops, he states that he loves my long dark hair. That women just didn't keep it that long in these times. I replied thank you, and continued my explanation of the tops. He then made the comment of how soft it looked, and he wondered if he could touch it. I told him again, thank you and no, you cant. As we move along to the mens pants, he gets closer and closer, making sure to brush up against me. Now, I am not the most patient person in the world, it was close to closing time, and I was tired. So I leaned in close to him, as if I was showing him the pants, and I whispered to him that if his hand came any nearer to my chest, I was going to twist certain body parts of his in a most painful way.

I thought that was the end of that. He went in, tried on the clothes, came out and paid, and went on his merry way. I then proceeded into the back room to share this story with my co workers. I was told I most likely blew it out of proportion, and he probably didn't mean anything by all the hair comments. Well, fast forward to the next night, around 5 pm. My manager calls into the back room and tells me I have a phone call, and that it's a man. At that point, the only man who would call me, would be my uncle who babysat my children. Thinking something was wrong at home, I rush to answer the phone, while two co workers sat by waiting to hear if everything was okay.

When I said this is Nipsy, I hear a mans voice on the other end. He says "I hope you remember me, I was in the other night trying on mens scrubs, I'm the guy who loved your hair. I need to come in and exchange one of the tops, I grabbed a wrong size.". Well, I about dropped the phone when I heard that. See, the creepy doctor guy had called the store and specifically asked for me by name. When all he had to do was bring in the shirt and exchange, or if he had a question, ask the worker who had answered, there was no reason for him to call for me. I told him it was no problem, bring the shirt in and we will switch it. He then asks me if I will still be there to wait on him. At this point, guy has totally crept me out, and I tell him, I don't think so, but I don't know for sure. As we are having this very strange conversation, my other workers are sitting on the table just laughing away. I get off the phone after he tells me he will hurry up and get there soon. I tell my manager there is no way I am waiting on that guy, and go out back for a smoke break, and hopefully avoid him altogether.

I stayed outside for a good half hour, wishing the guy would just not come in. When I went back into the store, damn my luck if he didn't walk in the door. Now, I was at the back of the store, by the fitting rooms, he looked around the store, found me, and headed straight my way. My manager had decided to stick pretty close this time, and was lingering nearby. Creepy doctor guy walks right up to me, and in a voice I can only describe as a sad little boy voice says "You're wearing your hair up tonight". Toss in a pouty face, and you might see how disgusted I was at this point. There was no need for him to come to me, all he had to do was go to the register, and have them exchange the dang shirt. Aggravated beyond belief, I snatch up the right size, and tell him to try it on and make sure it fits. I went in the back again, and this time, I wasn't coming back out till he was gone. My manager followed me in, and told me as I was walking over to the mens shirts, and then back, the creepy doctor guy was staring at my butt the whole time, and he looked pretty close to drooling. My manager then tells me, I was right, the title creepy doctor guy really did fit this loser. We then continue to sit there and bash this guy for about five minutes before my manager walks back out front to ring him out and get him out of our store. We walk back out, and damned if the guy wasn't standing right outside the doorway, listening in to our whole conversation! He never said a word, just paid and left.

I thought we had seen the last of creepy doctor guy. I mean, how many people would go back to a store where everyone sat there and made fun of their actions? Well, this guy apparently. He came back a few weeks ago. I don't think he expected to see me though, I moved up to first shift now, and he had a surprised look on his face when he saw me. He didn't make one comment out of line until I was ringing him out, and he told me my hair is still the most gorgeous head of hair he has seen on a woman in a long time. The owner of the store happened to be standing there, and she looked so sickened, I almost started laughing.

So moral of this adventure is this: Don't forget as you stalk your cashier, we have all your information in our computers, the information you so gladly gave out. I know his address, phone number, and even the hospital he works at. So, even if you feel the need to drool over your sales person, at least wait until you are at home to do so. We really don't care, although it does give us extreme chuckles months down the road. So here's to you Mr. Creepy Doctor Guy, may you never enter my store again.