So yesterday after I wrote the last entry I was really not in the greatest of moods to get back to work.
Picture me and my partner at 9:30 PM last night at this bar sweating our butts off in Miami humidity carrying in 10 boxes from my car, putting together a mobile bar, banners, bringing out the fresh fruit and juices, and so on.
Within 30 seconds of stepping in, this one guy decides to just rub me the wroooOOooOOng freaking way... We'll call him... Jerkface... just for funzies. He was nicely dressed, fancy cologne, Caribbean accent, and in his late 40s or so. First, JerkFace stands next to us (and I mean crowding our space) for about 5 minutes not saying anything and then he says: “Well are you going to pay attention to me, or what?”
*INSERT CONFUSED LOOK HERE*
Then he demands and I mean DEMANS to know who we were, what we were doing, and how we needed to convince HIM to drink our product instead of his usual drink.
*INSERT EVIL CINDY LOOK HERE*
So I smiled, told him we were having a fresh fruit vodka sampling event, but we’ll be starting in 20 minutes. Please come back then.
Jerkface returns in 20 minutes and asks me if I work directly for this company and what my name is. So I just said Cindy and yes, and moved on to our next guest who now wants to mix strawberries with passion-fruit booze… ooohhhh fancy…
By now I clearly realize Jerkface (in the white shirt below) is on some power trip and annoyed that we didn’t shower him with instant Jerkface attention. I decide quickly he just needs to be ignored so we can work in peace and try to have a very much needed good time.
Out of the blue, the dude jumps and I MEAN JUMPS in front of a crowd of folks walking by and says: “Would YOU guys like to try these new vodka flavors?” The crowd says “yeah!” And Jerkface glances at them, looks and points at me, and says: “See? I just wanted to show everyone how you REALLY should be doing your job.”
So by now this piece of work hasn’t just rubbed me the wrong way, he’s bumped and PUSHED me the VERY wrong way. But since I’m working and representing a brand, I can’t really tell him to crawl back in the wall crack he escaped from, so all I said very loudly and in a clearly condescending tone was: “Thank you! That’d be grrrrreat… If you actually knew what my job was.... Take care now.”
*GRIN*
Translation: I hope all of your teeth fall off and someone finally finds a cure for asshole-itis.
But wait, there’s more…
Fifteen minutes later or so, Jerkface wanted to know why I had turned a woman away and NOT given her a complimentary drink…. *sigh* I asked him why he was keeping track of what I did and told him that if he had a problem with our event he should call the marketing manager for the brand I’m representing and OH WAIT… that would be me. Have a good night. Okay the last part just crossed my mind but didn't actually come out of my mouth. Damn this professionalism.
I saw him speaking later with that woman he thought I turned away and over heard her say, “What are you talking about? She offered me a drink and I said I’d come back when I was done with my wine.”
Oh Jerkface....
Oh Jerkface....
At the end of our shift I asked the bartender who that guy was but he had no clue. I asked him if he knew why he was being such a pest and he shrugged and said: “Beh, [Jerkface] told me he didn’t like you from the moment he saw you.”
NICE.
PS. Fine... I hope you keep your stupid teeth.
PSS. Karma, you better do your thing here!
oh man. what the crap is wrong with people?
he just knew he could never have a chance with you. true story.
or at least this is how i write off all of my jerkfaces.
I get the hibbie jeebies just thinking of Jerkface. Gross.
And yes... of course he wanted me...
DEAD.
Oh, you can always count on Karma. He'll get his. Sounds like you handled the whole situation with dignity, so, well done!
Year of hospitality and I too have had so many experiences with these types.
They are lost souls, who feel inadequate with life and have no idea who they really are so they try and tear people down around them who obviously have it 'going on' (which would be you! )
There is no understanding a jerk, there is only feeling sorry for them and wishing them a wake up call :)
You are beautiful and kind and obviously smart.
that is all you need to know
love ya
xxm
p.s..... yearS not year!! I was in hospitality for years and years. (too many in the end!)
xx
Thank you FabuLeslie! I sure tried... and good thing I was in uniform or I'd be regretting loosing my temper.
So you know what I mean, eh Michelle? I'm usually REALLY good at handling difficult personalities and when my fuse is short I KNOW I'm too tired and need to stop doing this for a while. It's happened in the past and I know myself. And yes, very young and very lost soul indeed. Unfortunately he bumped into an oldie goldie like me who saw right through him and he didn't like it. Can you believe 80% of the world vibrates differently than you? No wonder we're all on the verge of imploding.
C'mon goodness... you need to win this!
Wow. He REALLY had nothing better to do then be all up in your biz. How pathetic. And kudos to you for keeping your cool!
Anyone that's just sitting around pestering a promo girl it's a confirmed douche bag. And thank you... I tried REALLY hard to keep the f-bombs out of the equation! The beauty of all of these gigs is that I only deal with this short term... meaning, I don't have to worry about seeing these characters on a daily basis at the office.