all in a day's work

all in a day's work

That's me with my new Crocs, sitting at Vivo's skypark during my break.

So I've started my new job, selling shoes at Crocs, Vivocity! It's my first retail job, and I've been very excited! I really like selling things to people, and there's always a sense of accomplishment when someone buys something. I alywas feel so happy for them, really.

The long hours of standing is abit crazy though. So far I haven't had a full shift, but being on your feet from 1pm to 10pm is just super tiring. The hours are also pretty demanding. Yes, I get to sleep in abit, but I also get alot less time with my family. We're quite big on having dinner together as often as possible, and I'm going to be missing dinner all the time. I think I shall request to work only 4 days a week next month. :D

Business, so far, has been pretty hot. There are just so many people coming in to buy these shoes! Local families, tourists, Ang Mohs, everyone! Even babies in prams and older folks in wheelchairs. And suddenly I find it very cute too see a whole family wearing Crocs. It's just really, really adorable!

Other people, coughsChannel5actressTanKhengHuacoughs, on the other hand, are not so cute. Nudging her daughter to look at the pair of Crocs that I was wearing, she said, "Look at those that AUNTIE is wearing!" Auntie! Puh-lease! She is my mother's age and more than twice my age and she calls me Auntie! If it weren't my second day at work, I'd have shot back at her, "AUNTIE, I just turned 19 by the way. Are you so old that you've forgotten how it even looks to be ninebloodyteen?" Auntie!

And then there was this young Indian girl, 9yearsold tops but probably younger, who tottered around the shop with a teeny weeny handbag demanding for every damn thing. She went over to where the other staff were opening up boxes of new stock, snatched a pair of slippers and refused to give them back. Then she demanded for a pair of size 9 from me, and when I told her that she needs a bigger size, she demanded that "You should have ALL the sizes!" To that, I politely told her Yes, we try. And she scrunched up her demanding 9yrold nose at me, gave me the most indignant look and screeched, "Try? What is TRY? YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE MY SIZE!" While the sad fact was, like half the kids who come in, she was just in between sizes at the moment. And through all that, her poor mother was simply helpless beside her. Gosh!

There were also nicer customers, like this skinny lady who told me they like my feet because they actually fill up the shoes. Ha! And I always complain about my feet being too fat. Another ang-moh lady actually hugged her shoes and did a little twirl when she finally decided on the pair she wanted AND found them in her size, while her husband made littler twirls with his index finger at his temple.

I guess in retail, you meet all sorts of people - the good, the bad and the ugly. And there is so much to learn! From standing posture, to judging foot sizes, to entertaining difficult customers with a plastic smile which I really hate to do, to recognising all the Disney characters (really, that smiley car is called McQueen?), to mopping the floor after closing hours, to memorising the names and prices of the shoes, to scaling the shelves (literally, without a ladder) in the storeroom within record time.

End of the day, it's really all in a day's work, and very good experience for me!