Infuriating

I had the worst customer ever, like, EVER, today. I've been in retail for 8 years, and this was the worst. Scenario: I am cleaning up my section at the end of the night. This woman and her friend walk into the section that I hadn't cleaned up yet, no biggie. Then she rips this item over on the rack so hard and violently that it knocks several tank tops off the end of the rack. So I had to go over and pick all that up. I put it neatly back on the end and go to walk away, when she looks straight at me and does it again. I could feel the anger boiling up inside, so I go over to the other side of the store until I see her leave my section. Over? I thought so...

She then proceeds to the fitting room (where she was a bitch to the attendant there) and to the checkout. On her way out of the store, she calls out "Bye, BITCH" to me. And then mouths profanity all the way across the glass store front. I was dumbstruck and angered. I mean, what the fuck did I do, besides clean up what she dropped? Over? I thought so this time, too...

So I was telling a coworker about the last bit about 20 minutes later, after the store was essentially void of customers. Then this tool and the girl she was with walk up and the guy bellows "Thats my girlfriend you are talking about!" I was like, "uh...are you kidding?" and he proceeded to yell about how I was rude to her, and how I pushed her over and was a bitch and how I deserved it. I was like, I did not push her, I picked up all of the items she dropped. I put them back. I left the area. And she antagonized me every step of the way. Meanwhile, all of the employees are gathering around the growing scene, and my manager (the only straight dude in the place, thank God he was working...) comes up and asks "Is there a problem?" I told him that they were antagonizing me, and then the guy throws some items of clothes he had been holding for some reason on the floor and screamed that I could clean up after him now. My manager then told him to leave the store and escorted the two of them out.

But seriously, WHAT THE FUCK??!! I pick up items that she dropped, and I deserve all of this fucking drama? I didn't overreact, I didn't loose my cool (until the end, when I was swearing if I saw her in the parking lot I would kick her ass, but that wasn't said around anyone but coworkers...) I don't know why this particular woman and her boyfriend were so insane. I don't know what it is about the holidays that brings out the worst in humanity. It was awful. I shouldn't let it get to me. I should just let it go, and chalk it up to that girl being awful and having an awful day. Goodness. I hope I get this job, hopefully I won't feel scared for my safety again at work. I honestly thought they were going to follow me home or try to shoot me in the parking lot.

It also struck me after how I have never felt this much animosity toward someone I never met. I mean, sure I hate Bush and stuff, but I have never felt this ribbon of hate cut through me like that for someone I don't even know. Maybe thats why it gets to me so much, because something like that for reasons beyond my control made me feel that. I don't want to feel so much hate. I get angry a lot, but it dissipates. And honestly, I get worked up pretty easily. But this was like, arousing hatred I didn't even know I could feel. I guess its hard to explain...and maybe I should have been more in control of what I felt. I just couldn't help it.