Tis The Season To Be.....Rude?

I realize it's the Christmas Season. I know it tends to make people, myself included, feel more stressed, crabby. But, there's a fine line between being short and being downright rude!

I had to return a gift I bought to a sporting goods store because it wasn't the right size. When I got to the counter, the cashier was this young-ish, pregnant girl. She's talking to another store worker. While they're talking, the customer in front of me is trying to check out. The girls never stop their conversation, and neither one of them say a word to the guy in front of me. He finishes checking out and walks away.

It's my turn. I step up to the counter, set my bag on top, and wait. The two girls are still talking, hardly taking notice of me. I didn't say a word. After a few seconds, they stop talking and look at me like I'M interrupting THEM! The pregnant one asks me, "What do you need?" Not "Can I help you?" Or, "What can I do for you?" But, "What do you need?"

I told her that I'd like to exchange the item I had set in front of her. Rudely, she asked me if I had my receipt. I said yes, and she said to go get the right size.

This was a different store than where I had originally purchased the item, and I didn't know where they were. They were talking again, and I had to interrupt, again. I asked her where I would find the item, and without even looking at me or even in the direction of said item, she gave a little half-wave in the general direction of the back of the store and said, "They're on the back wall."

They began talking almost immediately, and I walked away in search of the item. I finally found it, not on the back wall as she said, but on the side wall. To my dismay, they didn't have the right size and I headed back up to the register.

They were still there, talking away as if they were the only two in existence. I interrupted yet again, said I'd like to have my money back since they didn't have what I needed. If you can believe it, she actually rolled her eyes! She preceded to punch buttons on the register, picking up the phone next to it and calling for a manager to come and okay the transaction. Her voice sounded exasperated over the intercom. I was in total shock at this point. I didn't know whether to bring her rudeness to her attention or to cry. I really felt as if I were intruding!

The manager came to the front, stuck her key in the register, punched a couple of buttons, and walked away without a word. I wonder if this kind of rudeness is something that's taught at their orientation? It seemed to be a common practice amongst all the employees I came in contact with here.

The pregnant cashier threw a receipt on the counter and a pen for me to sign with. No "Please sign this" or anything. Just waited for me to sign. I got my money, she took her receipt, and I walked away. Not even a "Have a nice day". As soon as I took my first step away from the counter, the two girls started talking again.

Needless to say, I will NOT be visiting that particular store again. I can't believe that that kind of rudeness is tolerated! I'm not one to complain or make a big fuss, but as I think back on it, I feel that maybe I should have said something. Of course, after the manager presented herself the way she did, it probably would have fallen on deaf ears.