Bad day at work....

[fruitbat]

Agh, bad day topped with "Mr. I don't know what I want but you have to help me."

Him: Where can I take the English Proficiency test at this university? According to "The Book" (?) the English department gives it.
Me: Ok, I'm not in the English department, I'm in a library, but I can look it up for you.
(The English department website directs us to Continuing Studies, where, in the FAQs it clearly states that this test will not get you into this university. I point this out. Literally, pointing to the screen.
Ok then........onto google.
All the results indicate that each department has its own requirements.)

Me: Which department are you interested in?
Him: Department?
Me: Which programme?
Him: Education.
Me: Ok, go to this place. (Give him name of department, map and address.)
Him: But the book told me the English department gives it.
Me: They direct you to Continuing Studies where it clearly states...blah blah blah (repeat above statement about Continuing Studies where, in the FAQs it clearly states that this test will not get you into this university, three times.) I think you should go to the education department.

Him: What if I don't want to go into education? I'd rather go to the Continuing Studies department.
Me: But, (repeat above statement abut Continung Studies, where, in the FAQs it clearly states that this test will not get you into this university.)
Him: But I don't want to get into this university........And what if I don't want to go into education?



Visits to this part of the board are so soothing

[Helen8]

Me: I think he just wanted to yank someone's chain today. Sorry you were the one he chose, fruitbat.

[Lisabella]

A story of my working day, just to cheer you up, fruitbat.

A family (father, mother daughter- all of them let's say quite...heavyset) came to the shop (H&M) to buy a blazer for the daughter. That girl was maybe about 14 years old but about 8 inches taller than me and her weight was three times my weight (I'm small and weigh about 50 kg which is 110 lbs (I'm sorry I have no idea if it's right to convert kg into pounds or if you've got another scale unit for a person's weight...)

I asked them if they needed help with something and her father told me : We're searching for a blazer for my daughter. Size L.
I was vexed cause it was absolutely obvious that girl needed Size XXL or larger. So I answered (really really carfeully) wether they were sure they needed Size L (did some talking about personal comfort etc etc --> didn't want to offend d the costumers^^). I was so charming... but the wanted an L which looked... awful but the girl liked it.

I went off to see if there were any XL or XXL in stock but couldn't find anything so I came back with the news and offered them to follow me to the plussize department - still charming!

Now the result The father ( looked similar to a clean shaven Hagrid) literally shouted at me : "Are you kidding? Do you think my daughter is fat and needs to look for clothes in the plussize department. Not everybody is a skinny, pixy-looking stupid cow with anorexia like you. My daughter has heavy bones for she's a swimmer!"
And I was thinking to myself like : Don't grab him, don't kick him...
So I just smiled, apologized for my 'skinny pixy-looking physique' and sold them the blazer in L Sorry for the girl but ' Vengeance is mine' ^^

[fruitbat]

Me: I think he just wanted to yank someone's chain today. Sorry you were the one he chose, fruitbat.

Thanks, Helen.

Lisabella, some people prefer to be delusional than face reality (and be more comfortable in clothes that actually fit). It's one thing for her father to want his daughter to have a positive self-image, but insulting you was way out of order.

[Helen8]

Lisabella, it sounds like he's used that phrase before. He's probably had to. Live and let live.

You handled yourself professionally and you were sympathetic. High marks for you.

[Marie]

Nothing wrongwith being a plus size as long as your clothes fits - nothing worse than poping out of your clothing! (We won't discuss my muffin top right now!)

That poor girl has a problem and it looks like the whole family contributes.

[Hilary the Touched]

Ugh, fruitbat, your job sounds suspiciously similar to mine.

I also work at a college--I AM in the Continuing Education office, and it's really confusing to students trying to explain the difference between credit and noncredit ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, especially when the credit classes don't actually count toward any degree.

We offer classes in a wide array of subjects, including Project Management. I don't know which phone calls irk me more: the prospective Project Management students who are too impatient or oblivious to navigate their way through the online registration or who call to demand to know why they're being asked to apply for a college ID when they've "already got an MBA," or the people who contact the office after smoking three packs of cigarettes to discuss ESL classes at the precise moment their six-month-old has woken up from a nap and the dog's trying to attack the mailman
and they put me on speakerphone.


Lisabella, H&M is one of my daughter's favourite stores. The stores here only stock sizes up to 12 (UK 10, maybe?), which is great for her but leaves zero opportunities for me--I was thrilled to FIND a plus-size area in the Brighton H&M!! I would have kissed you if you'd steered me to it, you anorexic little pixie, you!