:eek:
Only 9,000 more posts to go and you’ll be caught up with Guinastasia (who has a three year lead on you.)
My firend works in a bookstore and sometimes flirts with a few female patrons. One even came back and asked when he was working next.
Keep it to flirting the first time. Compliment her taste in books, maybe even her eyes. Smile. Introduce yourself.
Where I work it’s a Class E Felony.
I had a customer who flirted with me, and the attraction was instantaneous and mutual. We practically had our first date right then and there, we talked so much and so intensely. He had indicated he was looking for a particular item, so when it came in stock I gave a courtesy call (part of my job) to his voice mail. Then a few weeks later I sent him a sales flyer when the item went on sale and he had earned a discount from his original sale…again, all part of my job.
He came in again, sparks flew again, and he asked me out. We dated for the summer, and then he broke it off because he just didn’t know what he wanted to do next…he was widowed, had raised his daughter alone and now she was leaving for college, and he was trying to decide whether to leave the state, change jobs…just wanted to enjoy no responsibilities for a while. So he dumped me…a bit rudely.
Six months later, he’s one of my matches on Match.com. Apparently ready now to date, so I respnded to his ad. He was thrilled to hear from me, we started seeing one another, he said this was it, we were going to have a relationship, he even cancelled his Match.com subscription right in front of me. Two months later, I’m dumped again…not just rudely this time, but with menace. He revealed a side of his personality that I hadn’t seen before, and even though he seemd so perfect for me before, I realize I was lucky to get dumped, because he really has no compassion or empathy or forgiveness in him. The whole episode made certain earlier statements of his about his late wife take on a whole new shade of meaning that was pretty depressing.
So now it’s almost exactly one year later. Even though I still feel I had a narrow escape before I truly fell in love, I still miss those parts of his personality that were so perfect and right. Would I flirt with a customer again? I do, every day, if it’s appropriate. Have I felt that same mutual attraction again? Once, briefly for a few weeks, and then the customer stopped flirting, though he still comes in to visit. The pitfalls? Having your heart smooshed all over the floor. My job wouldn’t have been in danger because of meeting him like that, but I was careful not to abuse the opportunity, or the personal information we had on file, and outreach is all part of the job…
In my line of work (massage therapist) it is wildly inappropriate.
However…
One of my regular clients wanted to set me up with a friend of hers. I was truly not interested as I had just been through a divorce and was “not relationship material” at that point. She was adamant that this woman was a good match for me but couldn’t get me to make the call. So she sent her to me as a client (she’d sent many referrals and I didn’t know this one was “the candidate”).
We’ve been an item for almost four years now. I still can’t tell clients how I met my girlfriend though.
Several years ago I worked in the tech support industry. We used to lend a couple of our geekier techs to clients for trade shows – they’d wear the client’s logo and answer questions as if they actually worked for the client. One of the techs was a scorchingly hot divorcee who, unbeknownst to us, was logging considerable headboard time with one of the client reps. The jig was up the day one of the geeks took a snapshot of her at a party canoodling with Client A while wearing Client B’s logowear. Fortunately, they weren’t competitors (in fact, we had their accounts because one made hardware and the other made the softwear that ran on the hardware.) Still, it was embarrassing, especially when Client B’s rep visited our site a few months later and hinted he might not be getting the same “level of service” as his counterpart.
Many times . . . though I’m neither a parent nor a teacher . . . 'course, that was before the restraining orders . . .
I ended up on a date with a woman I’d just spoken to who worked at another university, but who happened to be visiting Bristol. She turned out to be a fair bit older (40s to my late 20s) and have multiple sclerosis, so wasn’t up for the drunken high jinks I was hoping for. I think my telephone manner had made me sound both older and more responsible. We had quite a nice time though.
A long discription of my favorite rule:
Never hit on someone who can’t run away screaming.
(bartenders, waiters, people who are being paid to be nice to you)
I once worked in a restaurant with a very regular clientele. There was only one regular that did not give me his phone number. Of course, he was the only one I gave my number to.
I am glad I’m not the only person with that rule. I have been hit on while at work on many different occasions, and had to wonder what gave these individuals the gall to assume that it would be even remotely okay to hit on me while at work.
1. If you do, what are the pitfalls? Never mind just getting shot down, what risk do you run of getting fired or reprimanded? Most of the people coming in here are regulars, and that would make transactions with anyone I would hit on to be awkward. In all honesty, I think it is unprofessional at best to be hitting on people while one of the individuals [or more] is at work. I work to earn money or to accomplish something, not to pick up dates. If I’m lucky, I make some new friends with my coworkers.
2. Is there any way to do it without seeming totally creepy and/or desperate and/or inappropriate? (I mean, to the object of your desire, not to your boss.) It can be done, but one has to really cultivate a working relationship with the client first. One-visit customers aren’t likely to be interested if they don’t wander back for one reason or another in a lot of places. Since you said you worked at a library, there’s a possibility that the people you are interested in will run into you while both of you are not working. Having a patron whom you run into at the store, then chat up a bit is appropriate as long as they’re willing to participate.
3. What are your experiences? Have you ever made a date with a customer – or have you ever been a customer and made a date with a worker (the latter taking the initiative)? If so, how did it work out? See #1. I wouldn’t go on a date with a customer or someone for whom I only know on a customer-vendor/employee basis.
blinks
How would one go about getting into this line of work?
I have dated/etc clients. Likely will not do it again. If/when the relationship ends it can be awkward the next time her pet is sick.
Hi, Jack: In the grocery store produce section I have been hit on by women a few times. Is this common?
I delivered pizza in college and would occasionally have girls call the store and ask for me after I had made a delivery to them. Once when I couldn’t find a house I called on my cell phone and I guess she had caller ID, because she called back after I left and told me she thought I was really hot. There was an akward moment, and then I said something like, “uhhh, thanks”, and then another akward moment and then we got off the phone and never spoke again. She was pretty cute but I was seeing someone at the time and I thought her approach was kind of a turn-off.
One night I was cleaning up at the end of the night and we still had the front door open. Two girls walked past and looked at me, and then turned around and came back and one of them gave me her phone number. I called a few days later and we ended up dating seriously for almost 2 years.
So that’s what it’s like to be good-looking… 
I think it has more to do with the infinite number of monkeys on an infinite number of typewriters theory - that kind of stuff just happens every so often, especially when you’re young.
If it makes you feel any better it crashed and burned into the worst break-up I’ve ever had :).
Not in my life. I have to go grocery shopping tonight. I’ll try to be aware if anyone so much as glances in my general direction. I once got sort of flirty with a total babe in the fish section, though.
To date clients? Depends on the job. When I was a video store clerk, I went on first dates with about ten customers. Not a single second date.
But when I was a bank teller? It’s a huge no-no to hit on customers in that setting. Wildly inappropriate, and definite grounds for termination. I dated about ten of them as well. I banged one of them like a gong on Chinese New Year. Behind her boyfriend’s back, no less.
Those are always the best kind of relationships.
And personally, I think you’re hot. I mean, for a dude. Er… Football roolz!
Pay special attention around the asparagus, and in the organic produce section as well.
Be kind-rewind! 
May I adjust your tracking?
This happened to me a couple of times:
“Can you recommend something?”
“Sure, Starfighters in Love III, starring Pauly Shore and Lawrence Olivier.”
“What’s it about?”
“Starfighters who fall in love. It rocks. It’s my favorite movie EVAR.”
“I’ll take it!”
“Great. And I’ll be over at your place at 10:30 to watch it with you. HAHAHAHA!”
“Okay, come on over. HAHAHAHA!”
Customer leaves. Half an hour later, I get a call at the store.
“I was serious. You can come over if you want.”
Never followed up on it, though.
I’ll have to agree with tdn, you’re underestimating.
oh yeah, football n’ shit and bangin’ heat n’ shit too!
Your story about delivering Pizza reminded me of one time I did date someone from work. She broke up with me because she found out I had been messing around with another woman from the same job. (Definite pitfall there!)
After that, one of her friends came in to visit and said, re: me in my “Pizza Portion” dishboy uniform, “He is so, totally me!” (Her friend tried to disuade her from dating me by telling her about my infidelity. Another pitfall!)
I got her phone number when one of my good friends hit on her.
“Can I get your phone number too?” (I was so damn smooov)
We dated for years and travelled togather and more or less lived toegther before growing apart.
And yes, I was too, too young.
I could relate some stories about the affairs I had when I was institutionalized, but that would be a bit of a hijack.