Hell, More So Than Usual

Last night at work, it was definitely like it was my birthday. It sucked. I'd be more graphic, but I'm trying to get the image outta my head, so I won't be.

Anyway, we're so short staffed, Frodo & the Gnome are like Andre the Giant in height compared to what we've got going on. Seriously, there's very little to joke about in there right now.

I did, however, discover what was worse than dealing with Miss Pissy (she's massively unhappy with how/what management is doing to her right now--demoted her, dumped her onto register, but when she started she was at the Desk. Anyway.) What's worse than being boxed into the Return desk, blocked off from all normal modes of communication with the people who have access to the walkie the loader-guy carries and not being able to reach the copier?

Being boxed in and the other guy at the other desk--the guy with access to everything--not answering the phone--even when it's me trying to get his attention; he's not responding when I shout his name over the filing cabinet, and he's not looking at the 70 people lined up in front of me and doing NO THING to try to even help (no paging a code 3, no trying to get them over to his side of the desk) ...he's standing in front of the desk, watching for customers to check out. Because the phone looking like a Christmas Tree all lit up, and all those people at my desk are, of course, MY problem.

Meanwhile, I'm boxed in, trying to answer 14 phone calls that all take 10 minutes of listening to things like "oh, uh, Hi. I don't know what department I need; it's a thing I bought; can I return this thing; an order? No, it was delivered; I need to check on..." and all the while, several dozen very patient people are waiting their turn to get their money back. Oh, and then there was the guy who insisted that he could only ever possibly talk to one person, and no, he couldn't leave a message, but this is the 3rd time I've been put on hold, can I talk to...

It was Hell. I'm surprised I haven't actually cracked a tooth from grinding my teeth and clenching my jaw.

To their credit, store managers last night were trying to fill in the gaps--and were not all pissy and nasty (not even the Asshat.) God help me, I'm going back into this battlefield tonight.