It’s back in the early 2000s and I work in a beauty and cosmetics store. We are getting over the Black Friday sale, which is finally beginning to calm down.
I have spent the last half an hour helping an older woman customer reacquaint herself with make-up. As she told me:
Older Woman Customer: “My late husband didn’t need me to wear it, and I quite agree! But my daughter’s wedding is coming up and I need to add a bit of zing to my step!”
We’re about to close with the older customer still in the store (but almost done) when a young woman runs up to the doors.
Younger Woman Customer: “Are you closed?
Me: “We were just about to close.”
Younger Woman Customer: “Oh my, you’re so pretty! No wonder you work in a make-up store!”
Me: “Uh… thank you?”
Younger Woman Customer: “I just need a few things! Can I please just come in and grab what I need?”
Me: “You know what you need?”
Younger Woman Customer: “Yes! Wow, your eyes are so gorgeous! You are truly beautiful! But yes, I do know what I need.”
Weirded out by all the compliments (I have never EVER been complimented on my very ordinary brown eyes) but still with a few seconds until closing I let her in.
She immediately goes to the foundations and starts browsing through them. She is doing so in a casual manner; nothing about her lack of urgency implies she knows what she needs.
I leave her to it for now and go back to ringing up the older woman customer.
Me: “As I was saying, I think you’re all set! This should be everything you need to look amazing on the wedding day! Just follow those instructions from the pamphlet I gave you and—”
There is a snort laugh from the younger woman customer that causes both of us to look in her direction. Whereas at the door she looked sweet and friendly, she is now giving off full “mean girl.”
Younger Woman Customer: “Sorry, but seriously? I didn’t know old people got married.”
Pretty Savage
It’s back in the early 2000s and I work in a beauty and cosmetics store. We are getting over the Black Friday sale, which is finally beginning to calm down.
I have spent the last half an hour helping an older woman customer reacquaint herself with make-up. As she told me:
Older Woman Customer: “My late husband didn’t need me to wear it, and I quite agree! But my daughter’s wedding is coming up and I need to add a bit of zing to my step!”
We’re about to close with the older customer still in the store (but almost done) when a young woman runs up to the doors.
Younger Woman Customer: “Are you closed?
Me: “We were just about to close.”
Younger Woman Customer: “Oh my, you’re so pretty! No wonder you work in a make-up store!”
Me: “Uh… thank you?”
Younger Woman Customer: “I just need a few things! Can I please just come in and grab what I need?”
Me: “You know what you need?”
Younger Woman Customer: “Yes! Wow, your eyes are so gorgeous! You are truly beautiful! But yes, I do know what I need.”
Weirded out by all the compliments (I have never EVER been complimented on my very ordinary brown eyes) but still with a few seconds until closing I let her in.
She immediately goes to the foundations and starts browsing through them. She is doing so in a casual manner; nothing about her lack of urgency implies she knows what she needs.
I leave her to it for now and go back to ringing up the older woman customer.
Me: “As I was saying, I think you’re all set! This should be everything you need to look amazing on the wedding day! Just follow those instructions from the pamphlet I gave you and—”
There is a snort laugh from the younger woman customer that causes both of us to look in her direction. Whereas at the door she looked sweet and friendly, she is now giving off full “mean girl.”
Younger Woman Customer: “Sorry, but seriously? I didn’t know old people got married.”
(cont’d)