When Steroids Go Wild…

This is a story that occurred on Tuesday May 12 that is just a funny story about how I reacted to some of my medications.  In terms of my medical timeline as it relates to this incident, my surgery was on May 1st, and my diagnosis had occurred the Thursday before on May 7th – so you could say that I was under some good stress.   One of the medications that I have been on since April 27 is a a steroid called Decadron.  The purpose of this steroid is to reduce swelling and help control headaches.  On May 12, I was on a fairly high dose of decadron and some of the side affects of this drug are  irritability, mood swings and inability to control emotions. It also causes you insomnia, and on May 12 I had not slept more than 4 hours a night in 2 weeks.   So keep this context in mind when you read the following story.

This story is orginally from an email I sent to my university girlfriends called the Bakers Dozen.   Sent – May 13, 2009

Apparently my tumour is a jerk which unleashes itself on sales clerks. Yesterday (May 12) we go to the store to pick up a web cam for Skype. So Jared picks up the web cam and asks this 18 year old, sales clerk some questions – she knows nothing and she is one of those keener salespeople that thinks they are all that but are just stupid annoying. Whatever, Jared takes the camera to the check out. Then the sticker was wrong because someone forgot to take the tag down and she goes on and one about the right price and how someone should have taken the tag down, blah, blah, blah. Jared is just like, whatever, we’ll take it, ring it up.   Jared hands her his credit card – she asks for photo id – fine – here’s the drivers license – Jared’s name on drivers license, Jared’s name on credit card – Identification Validation complete…

Wrong – She turns the card over and the signature has worn off. She says to Jared
“So technically this card is invalid”

Jared – Why

“Because there is no signature – can’t confirm identity”

Jared – You have my drivers license

“Right but there is no signature”

Jared – But the signature is on my license

And I am not paraphrasing with the next quote, and she was extremely emphatic and righteous with Jared– remember she is 18 and she is talking to, in my opinion the perfect man.

Sales Clerk, (in a righteous tone) – “Right but the signature is not on the card – technically this card invalid and I could confiscate it but I won’t and we can use it, but PLEASE, don’t ask me use this card again unless you sign it first because I do I have the right to confiscate this card next time”

Jared – Fine

So typically in these situations I would be annoyed but I would think – She’s 18, she probably got in trouble from her boss, she’s just trying to do the best job she can. I would leave it at that
But jerk tumor takes over and I am like – “What an idiot – And if she is this stupid – what does she know about anything in the store. Why does she offer help? If she can’t tell that a drivers license is validation of identity over a signature, what type of help could she possibly offer on electronics. She has no help to offer, she should just sit behind the counter and ring in sales.”
But I control the urge to let the tumor speak and don’t say anything –

But she does and that was a mistake

Picking up the conversation – Jared has said “Fine”, agreeing that the card should be signed. She is about the swipe the card and condescendingly says
“So please remember to sign this card because it is invalid!”

I jump in – in a very direct, very aggressive voice

Alyson’s jerky tumour – “I believe you have been CRYSTAL (emphasized with a beak like hand gesture) on the policy and on why, you believe, the card is invalid”

She says “The card is invalid,..”

Tumor cuts her off “We have another card if THAT card is making you uncomfortable” I remember thinking, I can’t believe I actually said that. Who says something like that – I guess my jerky tumor does.

She says, more timidly - “No it’s ok..”

Tumor cutting her off again “Then complete the sale and we are done with the information about credit card validity. Thank you for the very detailed and thorough education you have provided”

She is then quiet and blushes, obviously uncomfortable. I then walk away to the front of the store and feel HORRRIBLLEEEE about snapping at her. Really she is just trying to do the Best Job she can – because she was told – no signature =invalid -Despite the fact there was ID. The fact that she can’t pull the pieces together on what makes proper identification, really is her managers fault not hers. I work in customer service, I should understand these things and really there is no excuse for being that rude to someone trying to do their job.

Jared didn’t feel bad – he was ready to walk out at when she originally started but he did think I overreacted, although he laughed as we walked out. I just wanted to talk on Skype.

However I did feel better later when I told the story to someone and they were like “I am so glad you said that because she needed to be told she was an idiot.”  I don’t think she’s an idiot – maybe her behaviour was idiotic, but she wasn’t an idiot.   Regardless- not very Woloshyn –

Again still felt horrible – But makes a good story – The next time she is working I will most likely go in and apologize. If I don’t the tumor wins, and no one wants that.  

Update – I have been by this store twice since this incident and neither time has she been working so haven’t apologized yet.  Additionally I am now almost off the steroid weening this week looking to be off by August 6th. I am happy to report that since the end of May my steroids dose has been more in check and no more Gone Wild stories.