# I've been working here for fifteen years! I have benefits! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 24, 2010, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546 "2010-05-24T07:08:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/161 "2010-05-27T09:39:01Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > You know, I’m not sure that someone who has had a full time job with benefits, regardless of what it is, is really that much of an idiot. > > I know jack squat about Barnes & Nobel, but I know that Starbucks (which is also retail) is generally considered a pretty decent place to work including competitive salaries, very good benefits, profit sharing and free coffee (if you’re into that). I’m not sure how that’s worse than being a low level office drone for 15 years which loads of people do. Well, my girlfriend tells me that the lady in question was an Assistant Manager. After fifteen fucking years? Better off in the grocery business. My manager at Fresh & Easy had his own store after fifteen years, and drives a spanking new $60,000 automobile. I doubt if the lady in question makes 2/3 of that. > [@](#): > > However, I assume that the OP is a neurosurgeon or rocket scientist or something equally glamourous which puts him in a position to slag off people who have stable work in an economy with an unemployment rate hovering around 10%. Freelance digital animator/graphic designer/web programmer. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/162 "2010-05-27T09:40:25Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Looking at post #7, I really don’t think he has as much a problem with her job choice as he does with her skin color and sexuality. I am unaware that Coont had anything to do with race, and it is no more derogatory that a word I would use if the person in question was a man, in which case I would use the term “prick”. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/163 "2010-05-27T09:54:12Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > In an era where job security is a pipe dream and job satisfaction is at all time lows, I say hats off to anyone who is in a place where they’re happy, regardless of what productive, useful work they happen to do. > > And a hearty get bent to anyone who would consider themselves better than someone who works in retail. Smug,\* unearned\* elitism is no virtue. Yeah, but, um SHE started it. I was explaining to my GF that you can’t rely on people that work at the retail level to do their jobs right, and that generally they are of at best average intelligence, and they need to be checked on. I was overheard by this, apparently very sensitive, assistant manager. She must have been clearing empty latte cups at the table behind me or something before she laid into me. And she pulled the full power trip! “I don’t work here to be insulted. I’ll have to ask you to leave or I will call security!” “Ok. See you later.” I get up and leave. She follows me, as if I am some Al Qaeda or something, and uses her cell phone thingy to alert security, “CODE 327! Third floor!” and harangues me on my way out with comments like “I have benefits!” As I go down the escalator, she is talking into her phone. As I go down the escalator, sure enough, there is Mr. Security, ready to handle my bad ass. I tell the poor guy, “I’m leaving already!” He just rolls his eyes, as if this isn’t the first time Ms. Assistant Manager has freaked out. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/164 "2010-05-27T09:55:14Z")
> [@Angry Lurker](#): > > 😕 > > that’s just a way of saying cunt in an accent, you know… Yes. I picked up from a Brit I work with. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/165 "2010-05-27T09:58:08Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Not all of us have a great deal of ambition, you know. If we are supporting ourselves and able to buy a few luxuries and generally happy, I can’t understand why ANYONE cares that we are in a dead-end job. Some of us don’t really care - if going into the job itself is fun, then why struggle? The world needs ditch-diggers, too, you know. And I totally agree with this. I am, as was pointed out upthread, totally ok with doing menial jobs myself. One of the reasons I temp is to get out of my fucking chair. I run the risk of being a cripple if I don’t do something more physical than type and move a mouse around. My back is fucking killing me. My ideal situation would be to spend 20 hours a week as a hod carrier and the rest of my time in front of my computer. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/166 "2010-05-27T09:59:23Z")
> [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](#): > > …this made my day. 😃 > > Stan Shmenge, > I’ve seen many people who engage in ‘private’ conversations which are easily overheard by all nearby shoppers. > > It’s a rude thing to do to a person in a customer service position. They cannot adequately fight back. Except to call chew me out, call security, chew me out some more, and have me expelled from the premises! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/167 "2010-05-27T10:00:51Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Don’t jump to conclusions on this one, Czarcasm - I’ve heard it used as an imitation of a Scots accent where the underlying word is more commonly used. I’ve actually never heard it formulated as a portmanteau, but it’s an obvious enough combination that I don’t doubt you’ve heard it. She was a skinny white chick, with nerd glasses. Probably a lit major who is bitter about the jobs the degree qualified her for… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/168 "2010-05-27T10:02:01Z")
Dude, multiquote button. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/169 "2010-05-27T10:03:15Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Why wait? Um, because I have never been in a dead end job for fifteen years? ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/170 "2010-05-27T10:04:41Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Circumstances are irrelevant. An asshole is an asshole, no matter why. So, customers who have had their transactions messed up by incompetent employees should just keep mum, or they are assholes? Amiright? ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/171 "2010-05-27T10:06:07Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > One of my friends/coworkers who just quit her highly paid job with our extremely prestigeous consulting firm was saying she would probably rather be a Starbucks barista. Getting paid a lot of money is nice, but it might also be nice not to have to spend my days with a bunch of arrogant, pretentious, pompous asses. > > Then again, it’s a little hard to just say “fuck it, I’m working from home today” when you work at Starbucks. Because Starbucks customers aren’t a bunch of arrogant pretentious pompous asses? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/172 "2010-05-27T10:07:35Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Private or not, if you’re going to stand in a store having a conversation with your right hand, you’re going to attract attention. Ad hominem attack is ad hominem. I should have made it more clear. I was having a private conversation with ONE of my girlfriends. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/173 "2010-05-27T10:09:58Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No, I’m thinking of “coont”, which is a contraction of two other offensive terms. I’ve heard it used that way in Seattle, Portland, Hollywood and Chicago. I was unaware of that connotation. And again, this was “skinny white chick with nerd glasses” so if you can give me a more appropriate epithet, I will be glad to employ it… ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/174 "2010-05-27T10:11:01Z")
This thread was already 4 pages long. By the time you’re finished responding it’ll be 8. Not that it matters, of course. The appropriate conclusion was drawn early on, this is simply sealing the deal. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/175 "2010-05-27T10:13:07Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > My interest isn’t getting rid of the arrogance - my coworkers aren’t arrogant. Mine is the interest in doing a structured job that you leave behind every day…instead of “go solve this problem that you don’t know anything about and have no authority over - you have three weeks.” > > The thing I loved about retail is that each day was independent. You left. That was it. It didn’t follow you home. You didn’t wake up in a cold sweat over it. Maybe you are doing it wrong. In my brief period of temp work at Fresh & Easy, I would definitely sweat mistakes I made on the job. I always try to do a good job, and I did make mistakes at the grocery. I really felt bad that I didn’t bag that poor lady’s yogurt because it slipped under the bags on the checkout… ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/176 "2010-05-27T10:14:44Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > I think that you have placed him much higher on the management scale than he can perform. You are quite correct. I would never accept any management position. The idea of being responsible for other people is quite frightening to me. I don’t want to deal with crap like that. I could never do it. That is why I freelance, for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/177 "2010-05-27T10:16:27Z")
> [@Angry Lurker](#): > > Nah, he’s been promoted at least once or twice, and it’s gone to his head. You can also tell that he’s had to work pretty damn hard to get the extra title and couple of grand a year, by the stress and feeling of entitlement in his post. > > 30 years down the line, he has a certificate of appreciation and a 250 quid watch to look forward to 😃 Again, I have worked maybe five years out of thirty in a straight job. Never been promoted. Never worked for the man long enough to be considered for such an “honor”. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/178 "2010-05-27T10:17:09Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Well, I might not mind working in a bookstore myself, but B&N? Have you spent much time in one? It isn’t exactly a place where you sit around reading and tending to the bookstore cats. You spend your time returning books and magazines that people leave around, cleaning up empty coffee cups, and helping retarded customers find the section they are looking for. “Where are your History books?” :rolleyes: B&N don’t sell history books? I have worked as a librarian at a school part-time before, and that’s a valid question to ask. > [@](#): > > I don’t buy books at B&N. Why would any sane person do that when Amazon has them for like half the price? I actually go there to sit and read expensive magazines related to my field, CGI, which all seem to come from England and are priced at like $20 a copy because they are imports. And to buy my girlfriend overpriced coffee, which she seems to have an unfortunate addiction to. Oh groovy. You leech off there and you are rude to their staff. From a fellow web free-lancer: Freelancing is not a dead-end job. I don’t even count it as a ‘stable job’. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/179 "2010-05-27T10:18:26Z")
> [@Angry Lurker](#): > > Actually we can always wait to see what tardface has to say for himself. Is he a racist snob, a racist homophobic snob, a homophobic snob, or just a snob? Not racist, not homophobic (whatever that means, I like gays ok), not a snob. So here I am. And I don’t believe I have called anyone tardface in my life, so what does that make you? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546/180 "2010-05-27T10:23:27Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > So, customers who have had their transactions messed up by incompetent employees should just keep mum, or they are assholes? Amiright? No, you can complain as rudely as you want about the cashier once you leave, if venting is all you want to do. If you want to lodge a formal complaint with the manager, do so without personal attacks, but by describing the situation and what went wrong. If that still doesn’t get you satisfaction, write a letter to corporate offices. You can stand up for yourself and lodge any complaints without being an ass. ETA: People deal with mistakes, get mistakes fixed or simply bring it to someone’s attention without being hurtful every day. I have dealt with so many issues over the years with once being threatened with security or yelled at. In general, they are actually apologetic to me! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-working-here-for-fifteen-years-i-have-benefits/540546.md?page=10)