5/27/09

?Hablo espanol? !Si!

I started at Depot in Texas today...well, my first real day. There's already talk about the 'new cute cashier from Michigan...I wonder if she's single?'. That was nice. Yet, the one thing that stood out the most:

Mexicans have a lot of nerve. I could never imagine
a.) trying to pick someone up and saying their name wrong (it's KrisTEN, not Christian)
b.)when they're obviously not interested keep pushing the issue
c.)yell to get their attention from another department just so you can say 'hola' and wave.
d.) get their attention again before you leave just so he/she knows your presence is no longer there.

Kevin was right. They're crazy.
It's not like my name is a hard one! Not at all! No offense to anyone out there, but really, it's one of the easiest names to say, even if you have an accent! Not only that, but have some tact! I've dealt with people from Flint all of my life. Yes, they are creepy. Yes, they are manageable. This, though, this is a whole other level of creepy that I don't even know how to handle! I've never had anyone in my entire life try to come on to me as hard as many many mexicans tried today.

Then it made me think...and no offense to anyone that is of hispanic origin out there reading this...but I'm in Texas. How many of those Latino men in Home Depot are illegal immigrants? Just a thought. I'd like to know the numbers on that...however, there probably aren't any.

They are just incredulous. Unbelievable. Insane. Crazy. Loco!

What is amazing, though, is seeing the little white girl speak spanish right back to them. Pretty soon, if I hear one more comment in spanish about how my ass is nice, or how they'd like to 'contigo a su casa' I will 'a la chingada' in their faces. Who, ever, EVER thinks it is alright, even in another LANGUAGE to speak like that about a girl when she's right in front of you?? Let alone AT ALL.

Surprise. You speak spanish? I speak un poquito (a little bit). It impressed a couple of the customers today...but some of the men, I will wait until they come in again or say something so completely out of line that it deserves the little naive white girls come-back.

I grew up around Flint. I can take care of myself. I'm used to creepy. However...some of the people down here are just a whole other brand of creepy that I'm not used to. Thank God I can comprehend most of the language and not be lost and feel too uncomfortable when the customers just go on a rant in espanol.

The stares, though. I get it, I'm the fresh meat, I'm the new girl. I'm from the north, I have dark hair(I've seen mostly blondes down south). Please, though! Get over it! Be discreet! Hath no one learned the art of subtlety anymore?!

It's unfathomable.

It makes me want my support system back. Mitch, who would beat anyone up who even looked at me funny. Phil and Brian, the guys who always had my back when someone even slightly raised their voice. Woody, who would run all of hte creepers off. They took care of their girls at my other store. This one...I'm not so sure about. I mean, I felt that protection the very first day. The new store, they just shrug their shoulders and let it go.
Awesome.
I want my support structure back. I don't want to have to 'a la chingada' a customer. Don't get me wrong, I will. I don't want to, though.

But I won't let myself get into a situation that I can't stick up for myself. It's called manners. The customers at my new store need to learn some.