This thread happened to make me remember....I teach school but about 18 years ago I took a part-time job (12 hours a week) at a dept store about 20 miles from our home. I occasionally worked on the floor but most of the time I worked in the office doing things like counting/getting the deposit ready from the day before, selling gift cards, doing the 'bank' drawer and wrapping an occasional gift. I liked the job just fine...it was extra money to help with some unexpected bills and I also loved the employee discount.
Well, Christmas came and my first shock was the 6am opening time for Black Friday. I didn't like it, but I crawled out of bed and went to work. My next shock was when I discovered that I was on the schedule to work on Xmas Eve! But, I griped and still had to go in to work that day. The real irritation came when a lady came in to the office (obviously a very good customer) and dumped bag after bag after bag of things she had purchased in the last month and proceeded to tell me how she wanted each item wrapped and labeled! I nicely told her that if she would come back in about 3 or 4 hours, they would be ready for her. (I had the bank deposit to get ready and several other gifts to wrap, as well, and I think there was just 2 of us in the office to get everything done). The thought that I was not going to do it immediately for her made her very angry so she hunted for the manager to complain about me. He came back there and told me to do her packages right away. I stood my ground and said there were other packages before her's. Next thing I know, he has pulled people off the floor to come in there and help with gift wrapping!
I quit working there the following month when they said everyone was required to work during inventory...and they scheduled me for during the school day! Did they really think I was going to take a day off of my contracted teaching position to work 6 hours at a minimum wage...no benefits...part-time job?
BTW, I still do shop at that store. There are very few of the people I worked with still there and they no longer offer gift wrapping.