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I have worked the convenience store clerk gig for five years now. Tonight was the second time on duty there that I've ever had to call the police (the first involved a car accident) and my first call to 911 in my lifetime.
First, some backstory: Madison has a reputation for being a safe haven for the homeless. There's at least four shelters within a half-mile radius of the store where I work downtown. Needless to say, the city's had a bit of a problem with aggressive transients lately. There's two unsolved murders this year - possibly related - in which transient home break-ins are suspected. About five hours after the more recent of those murders, a transient man armed with an 8" knife was apprehended (Tased, bro!) in a laundry room in the building across the street. He's mentioned as a possible suspect, pending DNA test results. Consider this context as the story proceeds.
Today was the Mifflin Street Block Party, one of the more infamous annual events in a college town widely regarded for its partying abilities. Store I work at's on the 300 East block of that street, but the party's on West.
Around 9:20-9:30pm, this guy comes in. He's actually a bit of a regular and never caused any problems before. He walks in and says something, and I think he's just making small talk: "There's a (Mardis Gras/party goin) out there tonight" is what I heard. It could've been one or the other, but would mean pretty much the same thing - right? So I, thinking I'm making small talk, say "Yeah, I've dealt with more drunks than I'd care to deal with tonight" (and boy, did I). The guy suddenly gets furious and starts yelling at me, saying I insulted him for being homeless. I told him what I'd thought I'd heard him say, explained that I was responding to that general statement because I'd encountered a LOT of intoxicated people tonight, and that I meant nothing personal. He didn't listen. He yelled at me, ignored what I was saying, and said I was being down on him because he was homeless, asking what my problem is with homeless people. (I didn't even know at the time, but I wouldn't have ruled it out.) On his way out, he says "You're on my shitlist."
Fast-forward twenty minutes... I'm scanning through the surveillance footage - I'd just wanted to have the tape ready at the first incident and leave a note, telling my co-workers to be wary of the guy. He walked past the store and flipped me off.
Five minutes after that... He comes back in, still confrontational. Says he wants to buy a sandwich and wants to know if his money's good there even if he's homeless. I again tell him we had a misunderstanding, trying to determine exactly where we had our communications breakdown (I still don't know what he actually said that first time, if it's not one of the possibilities mentioned above.). I remind him that I said nothing against him personally and that I had no problem with him. He asks if he can buy a sandwich or not (moot point - deli's sold out) since I hate him for being homeless. Right around there, I decided it would be a good idea to hit Record again and have this on tape. I tell the guy that he can't buy anything - not because he's homeless, but because we refuse service to people who threaten employees. He yelled toward the video monitor about how I hate him for being homeless and that he's got money he should be able to spend. He looks about ready to go after me at this point. I remind him I won't serve him because he threatened me earlier. He tells me I'm still on his list, and that he'll be back. I shout that he's not welcome in the establishment anymore. As soon as he's out the door, I call 911.
Cops come around 10:05pm. I show them the video, give a statement, have to agree they can press charges over the incident so they can do something about it... you know, fun stuff. I had to call the boss, call the co-worker doing morning shift, leave a note explaining everything for aforementioned boss & co-worker... Between that stuff and my general closing duties (which I didn't even bother to finish) I spent an extra half hour at work beyond the usual.
What a quacking pain in the ass. The bosses definitely got their $9/hr worth out of me tonight... and I get to work the night shift solo tomorrow. Oh, joy!
Yeah, that's probably the case in most places... but not Madison.
Detractors call this city "72 square miles surrounded by reality." We're the Berkeley or San Francisco of the Midwest, basically. I think we've got an excess of the ultra-liberal nanny-state thing going on here - this criticism coming from a guy who's voted Nader & Kucinich in the past.
So there are plenty of shelters in this town. Rumor has it Milwaukee even has a program to buy their homeless bus tickets out here, and we seem to have been drawing them in from Chicago lately too. As long as they don't panhandle within 25 feet of a storefront, there was pretty much no police intervention with the transients.
Until that girl got murdered a month ago (20 ft from my gf's best friend's bedroom window, no less) there was really no action taken on them. Hell, a month ago I probably would've erred against making that 911 call because the cops probably wouldn't have done a damn thing about it.
Sucks, man. The guy was probably having a bad day himself and just looking to be insulted.
Remember that a large percentage homeless people are not metally stable. Since the 70's we've been closing mental health facilities (especially long term care facilities) and forcing the mentally ill onto the streets.
I know this does not make your night, or opinion of the guy, any better. It's just my observation.
Hope you have little or no contact with him int he future. Might want to take some pepper spray to work just in case though.
just another case of when keepin' it real goes wrong. we went the to Mifflin Street party last year and i can attest to the craziness. the one thing that stood out to me was how the police were using several city buses as temporary curb side jail houses.
for being a relatively small city im always amazed at how many homeless live there. at night you can hardly find a bench or a grassy knoll that isn't being occupied by a homeless person sleeping.
The one time I was in Madison we were walking to get breakfast (sunshine cafe? sunset? i dont know something on a second floor of a building) and we got harassed by about four homeless dudes who wanted anything we could give them. I'm usually pretty good about giving, but didn't have anything at the time. They got real nasty as if they couldn't comprehend I did not have any change. It's a great town, but ...
I know two homeless guys around here, I'm sure there are others though. I used to work at a Dunkin' Donuts and thats the hangout for all the misguided teens and homeless people; it's quite a cast of characters to be honest. So theres Steve, and Charlie Brown. Steve is usually calm and peaceful just tryin' to get some change for his next bottle or rock, I try and get people to give him food or coffee instead of giving him money because I know he'd rather tweak then eat. Then theres Charlie Brown. He rolls his cigarettes at a table and always has a one man show in his back pocket. I had to call the cops on him one time because he got rowdy.
But yeah, you should get that pepper spray or a knife or a club or something. A crackhead jonesin' for a fix is a bad thing.
We keep a sawed-off section of broomstick about 20" long behind the counter just in case. That's about all we've got in the security department. Well... we also once had chewing tobacco sent to us in a box of shotgun shells. We keep that box within sight to at least give the appearance of having some serious security.
I'd gladly wield some mace or pepper spray, but I'd probably have to pay for it myself.
*i like coconuts, you can break them open they smell like ladies lyin in the sun** *Hell I don't even know where I am** *for now I must sit here and ponder the yonder: The herbivores did well cause their food didn't never run** *We listen, if it feels good We shake** *You made a big impression for a girl of your size, Now I can't get by without you and your big brown eyes.**
*i like coconuts, you can break them open they smell like ladies lyin in the sun** *Hell I don't even know where I am** *for now I must sit here and ponder the yonder: The herbivores did well cause their food didn't never run** *We listen, if it feels good We shake** *You made a big impression for a girl of your size, Now I can't get by without you and your big brown eyes.**
I too work at a convenience store..i have to call the cops at leat 3 times a month..last week because some guyt was just outside staring in at me, then when he noticed that i caught him, he walked back behind the store..creeped me out!
Back in January, I had to call the cops twice in one night...for the same reason..running out of the store for stealing large amounts of beer!!
I wish I could make an obvious shoplifter bust like that.
Most alcohol pilfering where I work is someone sneaking a single beer out of a six-pack - usually the 16oz-ers. I can only see so much as the eyes of the store if I'm tethered to the register cashiering.
It's not that I don't have my suspicions about certain people... but it's not actionable unless I actually see someone put merchandise in their pocket. It can be kinda frustrating. I only had one real incident where I concretely busted a shoplifter.
But we could easily make this a 50-page thread if we clerks start bitching in general about the clientele, so I'll leave it at that.
Kdogg, do you work at a big name chain store, or a lil not so big name place like I do... its like the 5th time i had to call the cops for ppl running out of the store with beer, and they only to it to me!! but weve had ppl steal little things to.like single beers, candy, can drinks, even little debbie cookies!!
We keep all the single serving stuff on a rack directly across the counter from the register so we can keep a good watch on it. But no Little Debbies - their delivery guy pulled a hit-and-run on a parked car, so we ceased using their services.
I work on a psych floor, and often, the patients remind me of my former employment in customer service. I always think of what it's like to encounter these folks in the real world. That is a perfect example.
It's true than many psych patients are homeless. It's very common.
Post by mulcherry0420 on May 7, 2008 17:04:12 GMT -5
I've worked at a Super America/Speedway for about three months now. Never had the cops or caught anyone stealing.
Besides a co worker who thought it'd be slick to try and steal $1300 in money orders and a carton of Tourney menthol lights (ick).
I notice that people like chuge the 12 oz. mt. dews in the back of the store and then leave them.
Bummer about your work place shinanigans kdogg, my best friend works at a marathon off of the main road in a nice part of lexington. He was robbed twice in three weeks. One time a gun was pointed at his chest. (also, he had 400 dollars for rent on him, they got that, which was more than what was in the register, lol)
See, that guy was normal every other time I've seen him over the course of months.
I'd actually guess it was crack rather than a mental disorder. But then again, I deal with my fair share of crackheads as well.
I deal with it all..the crackheads, methheads, drunks, crackwhores, the ol perverts trying to undress me!! I hate it, I have pepper spray and probably fixing to buy a ball bat
Guy came in last night again. Headed straight to the cooler and grabbed a pint of milk. I stopped him, reminded him he's not welcome in here because he's threatened employees. He didn't argue about it and left without incident, so I spared the MPD (and myself) the extra hassle. I'm satisfied with that outcome.
well im glad i no longer have to deal with the crazies at work anymore. but i have to deal with them quite frequently around here. especially at gas stations and party stores. and unfortunately ive found there is only one efficient way to deal with them. ignore them completely. im not a rude person and i feel bad about it but ive got poop to do. and i need all my money. so do i really have to listen to this guy tell me about his car out of gas on the highway with his pregnant wife and 2 daughters and he needs some change for gas when i know hes got his bike behind the dumpster and he really just needs a rock. i just let him say hey man 3 or 4 times as i walk to my car and pretend not to hear. its harsh but its the only way ive found. if i do get trapped into it i just give them the old "im broke too brother, good luck man." and walk away
btw - some of them get nasty when ya dont give. ive had them call me out on hearing change in my pocket and all that. this one dude got real nasty with a female friend of mine, i came out behind her and he didnt see me yet. he almost got roughed up. i think that alot of these poor defenseless bum beating are a result of that and not just random beatings.
Last Edit: May 8, 2008 21:04:42 GMT -5 by Dude - Back to Top
