It is 2am currently. I still count it as Tuesday. Fine, I’m a bit late. One thing you will find out about me is that if it’s professional or academic, I’ll be on time, early even, but if you show me even a hint of friendliness, I’m always late. ~Sorry I think there’s some friendliness between us!~ Okay, here we go.
If I do not mention you, odds are I simply didn’t know you well enough, or I didn’t have many good things to say. Also, I only wrote about people who I worked with this summer (2018). If I do mention you, everyone except Bella has a pseudo name that begins with the same letter as your actual name and I’ve included personal hints to help you identify yourselves.
Co-workers:
Joyce,
Thank you for being my friend. We started this journey around the same time and though we part every few months for school and other life adventures I am always glad to see your familiar, friendly face. I hope to keep in touch or at the very least, come back to see you off once you graduate.
Shaun,
You made some of my worst days into my best. You have this easy going way about you that I connect with. I love the cynicism in you and your own commitment to better your life. Stay focused and best of luck as you transfer to university. You’ll do great!
Jaden,
You make work so much fun. Going to the movies with you was nice too. For the record, it’s not just me who thinks you are a wonderful social butterfly. Others at work say the same thing. You are open and accepting which is halfway there for most people. I wish you great success as you pursue your music career. Have fun and come back with stories to tell.
Alison,
Thank you for the inspiration for my first post about the grocery store. You were the person to come to with work frustrations. I hope you find a job that makes you happy and that you finally move out of Texas. Personally, I love the lone star state, but you have dreams and I hope you achieve them. Thanks for all of the support those nights we closed together and thanks for going to the mall with me as a little send off before I move.
Mark,
I still remember teaching you how to input codes on the register. I remember how shy you were to ask for me help. You didn’t want to bother me. When I got back from school I was actually surprised and proud to see you all by yourself on a register. I know I’m younger than you, but that was a proud mama moment for me. You’ll go far, kid. 🙂
Bella,
I really do hope you work on your own blog or channel. I will be waiting to do that collab we talked about as I cleaned registers! I love your kind personality. You always have something to talk about. If only you could have taught me your ways before I left the store. Oh well. Keep being you, because the person you are is even prettier than your name.
Gavin,
I’ll remember your kind, open demeanor more than your fun facts. Share that with others too. I wish you happiness and good, kind customers. You have so much enthusiasm. Thank you for always trying to make other’s days better. You deserve great things.
Paul,
I shared some of my best morning shifts with you. I haven’t been a morning person in years, but you brought back glimpses of when I was. Thank you. You are such a kind man. I enjoyed our conversations. I’m going to have to watch more horror movies and get back to you with my thoughts on them. Best of luck at the grocery store. You are an excellent worker and an equally amazing co-worker.
Chrisy,
I remember when you had just started. You were kind and treated me with respect and friendliness from the start. As I left and came back from school, you continued to smile every time you saw me. Every time I returned from school I had less and less of an urge to smile at the grocery store, but I could never help myself when I saw your encouraging smile. Thank you.
Felicity,
Thank you for being that friendly face I was always happy to see. You are easy to talk to. Best of luck on your move coming up. I wish you and your family the very best.
Time for the managers:
Anna,
I remember your kindness and caring from day one. Thanks for always looking out for me. You are many people’s favorite manager. I’ve never heard a negative word about you. I’m glad you moved departments. I hope you continue to take opportunities as they come and that you don’t lose that great empathy you have for others.
Eve,
You are kind and gracious. I found a kindred spirit in you from day one. Compassion radiates from you. You checked on me and reassured me even when I didn’t need it. Thank you for treating me and others, I’m sure, as more than subordinates. I remember when I was having a spike in anxiety and I told you I’d meditated a bit upstairs and I was okay then. You related and told me your sister mediates. You could have just sent me back to my register without a word, but you didn’t. Thank you. Please, continue showing as much compassion to others.
Liam,
Thanks for sticking up for me and talking to me like a human being and not just another employee. Two instances stick in my mind. The time you took me aside and coached me on how to sell those promotional products we keep by the registers. I was shocked you took the time to talk with me one on one. Though I don’t think I sold a single item that day, please know, I was an anxious mess with every customer the rest of that day. I did not win against my anxiety that day, but I was fighting to ask every customer about the item.
The second instance was when I was at my wit’s end and I asked you what the process for quitting was. You told me, but you also encouraged me to stay. You told me I was good at my job. I’m not sure I completely believe that even now, but I know you did when you said it. You saw potential in me and were the reason I pushed through. I still have anxiety, but I am not a quitter. Thank you. Please, show others this kindness. Believe in others when they can’t see it.
Chris,
I’m still mad at you. Yet, I can’t be. Same as always. I know you care about people, but sometimes you focus more on the job than the people doing it. You scolded me about a policy once, which I deserved. What you may or may not have known is that I’d had my hand crushed by a watermelon minutes before you corrected me. Not a good time for more negativity. Yet. I’m can’t be mad. You are just doing your job and you do it well. Thank you for always explaining why you sent me where you did or asked me to do what. Either you just think out loud or you understand that one of my motivators is helping out the group.
Whatever the case is, I’ve worked with you for years and you are the manager who I (and from what I’ve heard, many others too) trust is on top of everything at the grocery store. You have an eye for organization. When you are having a good day and that leadership combines with your caring personality, you are one of the best managers I’ve had. Give my old fellow cashiers more good days like that.
Marcus,
I remember when you started as a cashier. You were just another one of us. You told me you’d come from another store, but you were cool and nice. We got along well. Then one day I came back from school leave and you were one of the managers. You still remained laid back and nice though. It was fun working with you. I think you are the only manager that ever sat with me during my lunch break. Show that relatable, funny personality to others. It made it fun to work with you.
Micah,
So open and friendly! I wish I’d gotten that pair of cheesecakes to share like we’d commented once. You are so sweet and it’s obvious you care about the cashiers as people. Your orders and assignments are conscious and you care enough to try to take people’s personalities and preferences into account. Keep up the good work! I wish I’d gotten to know you better.
Crystal,
We didn’t talk much except when you comforted me as I had a panic attack. Thank you for allowing me to take my time and calm down before you let anyone send me off to work. Every time you asked “how are you?” from then on I felt as if I could respond honestly. That’s kind of huge when literally hundreds of people would ask me that per day. Thank you.
Lexi,
You do the people thing too well. I was taken aback by it at first, but then I studied a bit of business. You do it well and you taught me a lot. You run the department well. I hope to visit after my adventures in Puerto Rico and, hopefully, make you proud with my progress. I remember that performance review and how you said you believed I could do better with people and innovation. I am an innovative person, but not an outspoken one. With a little coaxing I would have exceeded all expectations regarding that subject. People however, I continue to work at. Thank you for believing in me.
Customers:
That’s going to have to be another post. I have so many customer stories. Good, bad, funny, sad, and any combination of the above.
Thank you,
to everyone who I had the opportunity to work with at the grocery store. I remember a time when I only saw three benefits to my job there: the money, the people, and this cool uniform pullover I owned. You guys got me through three years working there and I am grateful. Best of luck whether you continue working there or you have moved on. Have fun where ever life takes you and if I don’t see you at the grocery store one day, feel free to see what I’m up to through this blog or any of my social media. Thanks, again.
My Dragonfly Life 