Where have YOU been?

I guess its not until you're gone for a while and come back that you realize how much you are missed.

How's that for an opening sentence?

Anyway, as you know I've had to cut back on hours and as a result I am only working two to three shifts a week. I wish it could be more because I really love my customers. But I can't right now. Too hard on the knees. I could ask for a chair, but that would be like admitting defeat and I've never been one to give in to pain.

So I don't ask and don't want one. The main reason being is that, because my knees only bend so far, the constant getting up and down would probably wear me out faster. Besides which there isn't enough room for a recliner behind the register, anyway. :-)

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Things that make it hard to work in our store:

• Flowers: We sell some plants and bouquets and lately there have been some absolutely beautiful arrangements come through. You get to enjoy them, if only for a few minutes. And you can speculate why that gorgeous dozen roses is going home with someone.
  

• Customers: They are some of the best people around. How cool is it that you can come in on your day off to get a few items and people are genuinely pleased to see you?

• Fellow employees: While there are still a couple of rotten apples, for the most part those we have now are wonderful. There are a couple of girls that I will miss terribly, when they go back to school. AND another couple that I will miss dearly when they graduate and go into their chosen fields.

• Food: Do you know how tempting it is to work in a grocery store? Well try working over the late afternoon rush hour. People are on their way home to make dinner and its fun to guess what they are having that night. Best of all is when they come through with a hot chicken or pizza. The aromas are enough to make you crazy.

• Variety: I will give this store credit where credit is due. I don't think there are many places where you can see such a cross section of humanity. We have everything from beggars to kings. And several obscure categories in between.

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Now about that last one. I have NEVER worked anywhere where people were so forthcoming about their lives etc. The stories I have heard!!!!!

I have shared happiness, joy, sorrow, surgery, break ups, loss, life changing events and most of all friendship.

I love to see the smiles on peoples faces when they come through my line. Or, as I said, when I am in the store to shop and someone spots me and wants to talk. And people actually asking me for advice because they value my opinion!!!????

Even more amazing is to see someone in an entirely different place and have their faces light up when they recognize me and they seemed so thrilled to have run into me?????!!!!!

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I know that I am negative a lot on here, but I try to call it like it is, when it is.

That being said, there may be better places to work but there are a LOT more worse ones. And I'm still proud to say that I work for - - - - -.

Now YOU go figure it out. :-)