I have been slacking....not because I don't enjoy writing, but that I couldn't think of anything juicy enough to put on here. But Mermaid suggested I tell about the problems that we get with flirtatious customers. And I think she was right! Although, I think this should be published, if for no other reason than to raise awareness. We are your tellers, not a cheap shot.
Okay, here it is: Female tellers at our branch get hit on. All. The. Time. Really. We do. I have quite a few funny stories. My favorite (also, probably the only one I don't feel disgust recalling) is the one where I got proposed to. Yup. And I think he was kind of serious. Haha. Anyway, I was helping an old man, who is quite friendly and with all the grumpy people I deal with in one day, I was super grateful. But as I'm doing his deposit he asks: "Are you married?" This question gets put to me a lot. They ask if I have kids, how old I am, etc. It makes sense because working at a bank is generally a career type job. I, being ever the honest one, replied, "No sir. " Smiled, and held up my ring-less hand. I turned back to the screen to finish typing up his stuff, and he asks, "Would you like to be?"
Me: (Being my ever oblivious self) "Oh, someday..."
Him: "No, (insert laugh here) Would you like to be?"
Me: (looking up) "Oh! Uh...." (I was caught off guard, and had to think of something fast, he looked so serious...) "Well, I don't know if that would work. I was planning on going out of the country for a few years on a service mission!"
Him: "Well, that's perfect! It works out just fine. I'll probably be dead by the time you get back. It's a win/win situation!"
Me: "...." (eyes wide, in utter shock, and probably beet-red.)
Him: "Oh, I've made you uncomfortable..."
Me: (Laughing a little embarrassedly) "Yes...a bit..."
He laughed and said "Well, have a nice day hon." And I said goodbye and that was it. I even manged to remember to give him his receipt. But that was one of the better moments. At least he kept it respectable and left me alone when it was obvious that I was a little freaked out. I still to this day couldn't tell if he was kidding. (He probably was.)
Other men, all usually older, either make coy remarks to do with some of our required phrases. (Seriously, who thought that "go out of my way to please you" was a good idea?!) Or I get winks and get told "Nothing you could do here for me honey..." And I mostly just feel degraded. One guy had the gall to tell me to "Just sit there and look pretty" and go to another teller like I was incapable of anything except for being lovely. For the record, I am an extremely intelligent human being. I voluntarily study new science findings in my spare time, or read the classics for fun! Seriously! But one poor guy, was fairly polite and nice about it, and asked if I was single. I said, yes (refer to previous married question), and then he asked if he could take me out to dinner sometime. Not that I judge people based on their age, but he really was old enough to be my father. So, I replied, turning red, "Sorry, I don't think my boyfriend would appreciate that." (It was a blatant lie, I know.) And he looked confused and I said, "Sorry! By single I thought you meant not married. I get that question most often...But I'm very flattered..." And I felt like a jerk, but I was also so sick of getting propositioned and asked out by customers. That had been like, the fourth time that day, and so after he left, I went in back and laugh/cried. I felt really degraded. I get paid to be nice and friendly to customers, and it is nearly always wrongly interpreted. Its a frustrating feeling. Funny in retrospect, but in the moment, it hurt. As a grown woman, I want to feel respected, and not objectified. Kindness is kindness, not flirtatiousness. Anyway, those are the stories!
