“I’ve always been a scruffy type. Not into fashion or trends. I have long hair that I wear in a ponytail or a messy bun, and I’m not into shaving too often. About four years ago, my wife got laid off from her HR management position and was seeking a new job. During this time, I took a part-time job at Home Depot, just for the extra cash until she found something.
I was in the Paint department, which was fine by me. I loved mixing paint. It’s just so satisfying (weird, I know). Put drops of stuff in a can, toss it in the machine, and voilà—a can of smooth, creamy blue or green or purple paint. It’s like magic. Anyway, one evening I was mixing up a batch for this woman, and she has the audacity to say, ‘Can you hurry it up a little bit?’
I said, ‘I can’t, no. The machine works on a timer.’
She goes, ‘I’m pretty sure it’s done by now, can you check?’
I said, ‘No, sorry. It’s done when the machine stops.’
She half-turns to her husband and says something like, ‘I swear, people are so incompetent these days.’
So I said, ‘It isn’t my choice, ma’am. It’s on a timer.’
So she turns back, looking all indignant, and she says, ‘What did you just say to me?!’
I replied, ‘I said it works on a TIMER, ma’am.’
She goes, ‘Don’t get SASSY with me because you don’t like your job. If you got some education and applied yourself, you wouldn’t have to work at places like this and deal with people like me.’
So I kind of chuckled and I said, ‘Oh, ok.’ And I just grinned.
She said, ‘Try getting a haircut and shaving once in a while. Maybe you’d be able to find a real job.’
I replied, ‘Yup, maybe.’ And I just grinned.
Little did she know that I’m a freelance copywriter who gets $80/hour for my services and business is good. Or that I graduated with the highest honors, and then top of my class in my Master’s program. My wife found an amazing job about six weeks later and I quit Home Depot two weeks after that. Why argue with people? Let them think what they want.”
