I was talking to one of my employees at work today, and one thing we both enjoy about our job is the people. Forest City is filled with some of the friendliest people I've ever met. I've got one named Brenda who always has a smile and is one of the nicest women you'll meet. She once tried to give one of my staff a $20 tip after he sold her a $100 winning ticket. I've got another who comes in almost every morning and gives me shit like you wouldn't believe. "son of a bitchin' Luke... you screwed me with this losin' ticket... geez..." "Want another one?" "Of Course!" This kind of banter goes on every day and he always leaves with a smile, he's another of my favorite customers. I've got one who broke his arm, and called me a lifesaver when I always opened his 1L diet Coke bottle for him so he didn't have to. I've got customers who know me so well, and know I know them, they don't even bother telling me what they want. They just come up to the counter and I ring them up, they know the prices and everything. "Give me a pack of smokes" they know I'll pick the right one every time. The 'bago employees that come through are the friendliest factory workers I've seen. Sure, they may not like having to work that day, but they don't take it out on me, in fact most of them talk to me like I'm one of them. They know that they are the sole reason my store opens at 5 rather than 6 like every other non 24 hour Casey's. I love getting to know them. I've even told some of my friends about one or two I really want to get to know better. LOTS better.
I tell you this so you understand that I truly do enjoy my job. That I have the best customers in the world. That my staff is known throughout the town as the friendliest, and we're always smiling and making our customers happy. And we take pride in that.
But there is one...
We believe he served in the military. I theorize Vietnam. We think he must have seen something awful, or done terrible things, or something happened that rattled a few bolts loose. Normally, this would make me feel sympathy to a man who gave so much in the service of his country. But this one...
It's getting worse, to the point I am really wishing it didn't take approval from people higher up the food chain than me to ban him from my store. It started out and he was just a customer you saw come up and you just kinda went... oh man... here we go again. But lately this has degenerated to something awful.
Background, this man has a house, he is not extremely wealthy, but he is nowhere near poor... he insists on living in his car because the house is too constricting. I do not know the last time this man has seen a shower. He has told me that there are too many convenience stores and the "convenience store attitude" is self-destructive and will lead to the destruction of mankind. You can't make this stuff up people. Clearly he and I are going to have some disagreements. One convenience store in town has already banned him from their property. He believes that all other people invade his space, so he retaliates by deliberately stepping in their way and blocking them. He started harassing my pepsi delivery guy saying how he is in his space. I notice a definite decline in his mental faculties. He's getting worse, and I'm unsure of where it will go if left unchecked. Complete strangers who are just passing through from the twin cities are getting harassed by him as he deliberately blocks the doors of the store.
He is well known in Forest City. He's kind of regarded like the village idiot. The thing is... I'm not so sure how harmless he is anymore. Members of my staff have wondered if he's going to pull a gun on them. Customers are getting scared. And one day... either he will snap and do something horrible, or he'll chase after the wrong guy... either way... this is not going to end well...
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