I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

I graduated from college in 1987.  

I had no plans, no goals, no idea what I was doing with my life. 

I spent the summer in Kansas City, but that’s not this post.  

In October, a friend from college’s brother mentioned that he was going to Atlanta to look for a job.  I jokingly said, I wish I could go with you.  He called two days later and asked if I wanted to go.  

24 hours later I was in a car driving to Atlanta with the brother and his best friend.  

We didn’t come home for three weeks.  

I did find a job that I hated in Atlanta.  

One that a lot of people right out of college find.

Telemarketing.  

I was hired to sell advertising for the little footballs that used to be thrown out at sporting events. 

I’d call a high school and convince a coach or athletic director to want them.  Then I’d call businesses in the area to sell them advertising to pay for the footballs.  

In the three weeks I worked there, I didn’t complete a single sale.  

I quit without notice, which was good, because I was about to be spoken to about my inability to complete a sale.  

We’d all gotten jobs at the telemarketing company.  

I quit first.

Then the brother.

Then the friend.  

I needed to pay my rent on the apartment that we all rented after we all got jobs at the telemarketing company.

So I took the first job that came along.  

I was hired at JC Penney. 

As a stock boy.  

My first day was the following Monday.  

On my first day, I reported for work.  Filled out all the requisite paperwork, then was introduced to someone we’ll call John.  (I don’t remember his name at all).

John shook my hand.  

He told me he was going to take me on a tour.  We started downstairs.  

He showed me the lighting department.  The kitchen items.   The towels. 

The stockroom was next. 

Then he led me to the escalator.  

He then said to me, we are going upstairs.  We were downstairs.  But as we get on the escalator, it will take us upstairs.  Understand?

He’d been talking down to me all the while, but now it was clear he thought I was stupid.  

My favorite part of the story and the reason for the post.  

We madenthe smallest of small talk as he showed me around.

I was dressed very casually, in jeans and a fraternity sweatshirt.  

At one point, he says to me, Oh, You are wearing a fraternity shirt, do you know someone in a fraternity?

I said yes, I do, I know a lot of people in a fraternity.  

How do you know people in a fraternity?  Was your brother in a fraternity?

I realize what is happening and I say, “uh.  I was in a fraternity”.  

He has a shocked reaction on his face and says, “You went to college?”

It has occurred to me at this point that because I’m a stockboy, that he thinks I’m less than smart. 

I assure him that not only did I go to college, but that I graduated also.  And I was in a fraternity.

He has no idea what to say.  He’s clearly made the wrong assumption about me.  

He stutters and stammers and stops talking.

He changes the subject and ends the tour five minutes later.  

I worked from September to October.  I’ll tell you why I left tomorrow.