CPCF- Hours

CPCF-Hours

Hours? What about hours? Well every store has them, those pesky hours that certain establishments choose to force employees to drag themselves into work and start the day filled with grubby retail consumers. So naturally you get the occasional phone call for the person who doesn’t look on line for something as simple as your work hours. I understand not everyone in the world has internet or has access on their phone so calling to double check is perfectly fine. It’s usually the quickest and most painless phone call a retail person can have because it consists of; the customer calls and asks what your hours are and you tell them, and then they usually say thank you and hang up if they don’t have any other questions. This seems simple, yes? I used to think so but apparently here in the crack of Maryland called Dundalk it’s really NOT that simple. Let me explain…

It was an early morning and I was getting the paper work ready for the day when the phone rang. I put the pen down and reached for the phone. After taking in a collective breath just in case it was a difficult phone call I hit the green ‘Talk’ button and said, “Good morning, Love Lips, how can I help you?”

“What is this?” A man sounding in his early 30’s said.

I sighed…it never mattered how much of a delay I gave, or how slow and clear I talked, I ALWAYS was asked what the store was, “This is Love Lips the Adult Novelty Store” I said in as much of a neutral tone as I could.

“Oh good, I was just wondering what your hours were” He said in a chipper voice.

“Monday through Saturday we’re opened from 9:30 am to 10 pm. On Sunday we’re open from 11 am to 6 pm.”

“Oh great, I didn’t know you were open on Sunday’s! That’s great….” There was a pause before he said, “So what are your weekday hours?”

I blinked, I really thought saying Monday through Saturday included the weekday hours but apparently saying we were open the same hours on Saturday threw him off so I said in a clear, possibly irritated tone, “Monday through Friday” I made a point to emphasize on Friday because Friday ends a week and he apparently needed to hear that, “…we are open from 9:30 in the morning to 10 o’clock at night. On Saturday we’re open from 9:30 am to 10 at night. Sunday we’re open at 11am and close at 6pm” I said all this slowly and as clearly as I could.

“Oh…ok so on the weekdays you’re open at 9:30 and close at 10pm?” He made it sound like I was saying it wrong because his voice got crisp at the point he said ‘weekdays’.

I glared at the plexi-glass frame and said through pinched lips. “Yes sir…” Yay! You get a gold star, precious!

“Okay! Thanks” He hung up.

I stared at the phone after I hung up still not sure that really happened. I didn’t think the first way I said it was confusing but apparently in Dundalk even the most simple task requires a map and hand puppets….even if you’re just telling someone when you open and close.