Expressing yourself is not part of your job

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Tuesday, March 15, 2005 | Mike Seate

[Willie Green]

The kid at the checkout counter obviously had other career plans.

His arms were covered with thick, black Celtic tattoos, designed like the crosses you might see atop ancient gravestones in the British isles. On his index finger, he wore a long, chrome implement of some sort, an articulated armored glove that looked like either a prop from an all-night Dungeons and Dragons tournament or a leftover from Stevie Nicks' fall collection.

As he began pulling items on the electronic conveyor belt toward the scanner at his cash register, he absent-mindedly poked me in the wrist with his miniature lance, looking up at me sheepishly as he half-mumbled an apology.

"Yo, junior," I addressed him. "Could you maybe save your amateur proctology school training and all its fabulous tools until maybe after you've finished checking out our groceries?"

[Lazamataz]

Otherwise, it's going to be awful tough for future generations to weigh produce with gag-balls in their mouths and handcuffs on their wrists.

"It puts the cantelope in the bag, or it gets the hose again."

[RushCrush]

Lumberg! I knew you were VRWC!

[international american]

We have a WINNER!

[Bacon Man]

[RushCrush]

And I won't even talk about tattoos, insulting political buttons, bizarre hair, bad attitudes, etc. etc. I think all of that is just a cry for attention. Which fits nicely into my theory that liberalism is simply based on low self-esteem.

[SouthernBoyupNorth]

Hell I have tats. I am also an engineer. For me I get one tat a year on the anniversary of my divorce. I wear wear long sleeves by choice. Sometimes its uncomfortable in the summer but what the heck. But the outrageous jewelry and body piercing.... >shudder<
If it hinders your performance on the job maybe you shouldn't wear it....

[RushCrush]

"And I won't even talk about tattoos, insulting political buttons, bizarre hair, bad attitudes, etc. etc. I think all of that is just a cry for attention. "

Which fits nicely into my theory that liberalism is simply based on low self-esteem. ((reposting....OOOPS formatting problem))

[HitmanLV]

"Yo, junior," I addressed him. "Could you maybe save your amateur proctology school training...

I like the 'junior.' I make it a point to call people who annoy me 'junior' from time to time. My favorite use was whenever my 65 year old driving instructor treated my like a teenager (I learned how to drive at age 33), I'd put him in his place and make it a point to call him 'junior!'

[Gabz]

If you say so....................

[Gabz]

Tatoos on women are the #1 turn off for me. Me too - and I'm a woman.

I don't know what turns me off more - the tatoos or the multiple piercings...........I can not talk to someone with jewelry all over their faces.

[Boot Hill]

"About two decades ago, I was in a punk rock band, an outfit so talentless we couldn't even get a gig at one of the Oakland underground music clubs where talent was openly derided as a bourgeois impediment to artistic authenticity."

Now there's a guy who can really express himself...oops, I mean a guy who can really write.

--Boot Hill

[annyokie]

I have to agree. My youngest's preschool teacher had a tattoo of a flaring sun around her navel (I know this because she lived two doors up from me.) I asked her what she thought it was going to look like after she had a child or two.

I can't see the deal with tattoos. Some are beautiful, but if you wouldn't have that picture hanging in your living room, why would you sport it on your skin?

[HIDEK6]

I have an aversion to that stuff...it makes me queasy to see it.

I know exactly what you mean. Used to be some strippers were comely. Now, with the tattoos, it no longer is a pleasant way to drop $500.

[annyokie]

My uncles all had the hula girl tats from WWII. My dad never got one. I don't think they look nice on girls, at all.

[Bluegrass Conservative]

I think part of doing certain public customer service jobs well includes being somewhat withing the middle of the Bell Curve.

You'd be surprised how intelligent (and even how conservative!) many of these folks are.

[Cobra64]

I learned how to drive at age 33

Tough class, eh?

[Bluegrass Conservative]

Uh, you seem to be missing the point that the guy, as the consumer, felt that the cashier WASN'T doing his job well.

That was the stated point, but I don't think that was his underlying reason in writing the article. He seemed to focus much more on the person's appearance than his frustrations in being poked and receiving a half-hearted apology.

I've had poor service by people with extreme looks and from clean-cut folks as well. I've also had excellent service from both.

[international american]

HA! I forgot the piercings. Add them as a subcategory under tattoos : )

[HitmanLV]

Nah, not really - I was ready for my road test after about 50 hours of time behind the wheel. My teacher told me teenagers take to it more quickly, but that I was about average for someone learning later in life - and as far as driving goes, I think 'later in life' in most cases means anyone much over 20 or so!

I grew up and lived in NYC and never had to drive. It only came up in my life when I moved.

[Osage Orange]

Personally, I don't care what the person looks like as long as they do the job I'm asking them to do.

Really?

So, I guess you would hire Micheal Moore..to be your door greeter.