Confessions of a Retail Employee

Episode 3

      In the small town I reside there are many events that lure people to stroll the streets and hopefully stimulate some economy. This weekend was the Holy Grail of such events. Sidewalk Sales. Just the words bring a duffle bag of emotions to my mind. Sun, sweat, sales… that is the essence of this event. This is when the stores have their lowest sales of the summer and hope to clear out as much inventory to make room for the coming sweaters, scarves, and parkas.

      To me Sidewalk Sales means overtime, tired feet, and food. The ladies bring goodies to snack on throughout the long day and management provides a meal. Overtime is nice because it pays for luxuries like… insurance, textbooks, tuition. Sidewalk sales means my job changes from being behind a counter in air conditioning to standing outside in the sun making sure no ladies walk away with a rack of clothing. To be honest… if anybody tried this I would respond with “God bless them”. That would mean one less rack to roll in at the end of the day.

      It was nearing the end of my second day of Sidewalk Sales. Nine hours of being outside with the sun beaming on me and my skin was turning like a peach. I finally managed to find a stool to perch myself on and settled in when I noticed a lady waving at me down the block. She did not look familiar, but it could be a customer and, not wanting to offend, I smiled back. She got closer and said to me surprised “I don’t know you!” Oh my gosh this seems like something that would happen to me. She probably feels embarrassed. I respond with a laugh.

 She continues still in shock “You look just like my son’s girlfriend!”

Is this a new line or something? “Oh my gosh, I have a twin!” I reply joking.

“No really! You look just like her! They are headed to dinner and he said she was wearing a sundress, you are wearing a sundress. She always wears her hair pulled back like yours is now, and with the sun shining on your hair the color even looks the same! Your sunglasses even look like hers!” She tells me.

This… is… this is weird. “Oh wow. I really do have a twin! How funny!” I say.

“Yeah,” she says. “I was ready to call out ‘Hey Liz!’”

“Wait what? What is her name?”

“Her name is Liz…” She says confused.

“My name is Elizabeth,” I tell her.

“Oh my gosh. Her name is Elizabeth.”

Ya know… typical day at work. The next day I was helping a couple when the gentleman said I looked just like their waitress. I said jokingly “It’s my twin! Was her name Liz?” The look on his face...