I once heard an observation that most cities have their airport in the southern part or south of the city, mainly because that's where the poorer folks lived, and they can't afford to fight it.

Odd. The South side of Aylesbury is the closest we get to the ghetto here.

Mum & Dad were housed there when they first moved from London in the 60s. It wasn't all that nice then, TBH.

Welcome to today's game of "RETARDED or HIGH".

30-year-old man comes in mumbling, mumbling, mumbling. He slowly meanders over to the window, mumbling mumbling. Once he gets there he starts reciting his information: "Name Charles Mumford, address 474 Hanes St, phone 2155554746..." I wait and he does not give me the critical information of social security number with which I can look up his stuff. I ask "Social?" In his mumbling he manages to tell it to me without too much trouble.

He has no current pawns. He has two items picked up yesterday.

He manages to say he doesn't remember this, and believes that he did not go out yesterday. But he can't communicate beyond that -- although he is saying many words, most of them are incomprehensible.

I tell him over and over that he has no pawns with us, but he does not understand.

I go about my business, which is writing this post, and he drifts over to the DVDs. He looks at them for a while. Finally he drifts back and seems to ask about his pawns again.

This time I tell him, slowly and loudly, that his items have been picked up yesterday, if not by him, by someone who had the tickets, and we have no remaining business and he can leave.

This time he gets it enough to understand that he has no business, and leaves with a final mumbled "Have a blessed evening."

It is 1:40pm in the bright afternoon.

Now the critical clue: co-worker Ron reports that he came in yesterday, lucid, with a massive wad of cash and picked up all his stuff.

If you had "HIGH" you have won today's game.

Question: Could the correct answer at some point be both retarded AND high?

:D

If I try to tempt Sammy with a game of Retarded or High, he will always answer back, "AND".

I had crazy.

Once went to a pawn shop to get a game of chess.

Today, clients think chess is something on the front of a woman.

Times change.

You should hear what they think dictate means.

It's a bit embarrassing to ax, but....

what do they think dictate means?

How my dictate to you last night, Charlene?

I'm waiting on a regular customer when he walks away without his change. It's $12.85.

That amount is not a trivial amount in the ghetto, so I take one of the paper envelopes we use for jewelry items, and I put the money in and write on it "Donald Moore's change". I put it up on the counter where we all generally see it, and we remember that Donald Moore is due his change on his next visit to the shop.

Here's the thing. The ghetto is no place to be charitable, or it would suck you dry. But in returning Mr. Moore's change, I wasn't being charitable, just honest. It wasn't my money, it was his.

When Mr. Moore returned, OH! LOUD PROCLAMATIONS! I was in the back of the store, so I only heard it, and didn't realize at first what it was. He was given his money.

At first, he outright didn't believe it. Impossible. Money out of nowhere! It must be a trick of some kind! After receiving the explanation several times, that he had left it behind and we had kept it for him all this time: well, he loudly praised us to the ceiling for a good minute or so.

Now the other factor! Mr. Moore is not just a regular customer. He's a regular asshole. He comes in and is grumpy and indulges in all kinds of rudeness. So this honest moment has only annoyed Alan, who complains that I've done this nice thing for an asshole.

In my mind, I turn that around: doing this nice thing for an asshole means it's even more nice, even more honest. And might it make him less of an asshole next time around? I guess we'll find out.

~

Later that day, co-worker Ron has marked an envelope with "Guy who buys a lot of porn's change".

Yes, the guy who has bought 6 porn movies a day for the last four days has left behind $2.35.

We all facepalm, and agree that this is going too far. We agree that lost change should be held for one day, and then go into buying us lunch.

I feel like I should say at this point that every single event I have described in this thread is 100% true, and there is absolutely no exaggeration at all. Only the names have been changed.

It definitely feels real. The thread is also sparking a cultural interest in me. From where I sit the huge negatives of ghetto culture are easy to see but what are the advantages, that takes a little more thought.

So, that $2.35 actually belonged to Girl who buys a lot of porn?

Good on you, UT...

... proof this shop is a soul-sucking place to work, and you're falling prey.
Find a place to work that is worthy of you.
.