If Ye Prick Us, Do We Not Bleed?

"Here's your receipt and have a nice day," says James emphatically, just as he has done for every costumer who he has had go through his register.

It has been a crazy day today just as it always is. Customers everywhere in his department, all of them demanding attention immediately.

"HEY! I asked for your help ten minutes ago," shouts a burly man in car shop overalls next to the cell phone accessories.

"Sir, Im sorry but I have to help five more people who were here before you, if you just wait a little, I can be right with you," says James calmly, trying to calm the man down before an altercation occurs, which does happen sometimes.

The man mutters many curses in James direction but James ignores and helps the next person. Today, just as on every other day, he is the only one on the back wall in Wal-Mart, meaning he is the only one in Sporting Goods, Electronics, Shoes, Furniture, Toys, and Fabrics. He has two people waiting in Sporting Goods, a lady in toys who wants a price check, about four people in his home department of Electronics, and another angry man shouting at him to come over to furniture.

"Sir, Ill be with you as soon as I can," he replies to the man in furniture.

Worse yet, he has to get to all of them within 30 minutes, because at the end of that thirty minutes he is supposed to take a lunch and Wal-Mart is very strict about people taking their lunches on time. People need to realize that those who help them in stores are just as human as they are and might not be able to help them straight away.

James runs over to the televisions where he has had an elderly lady waiting for fifteen minutes, to help her.

"Good evening maam, what do you need," asked James cheerfully.

"Well, I dont need help with questions or anything like that, I just need someone to carry this television out to my car for me."

"Very good maam, I'll get someone up here right away."

"You can't take it out yourself? You did that for me the last time I was here getting a table."

"Unfortunately, they wont let me do that anymore, I am locked to the back wall, but I will call a stockman up to take the television out for you."

"Alright, thank you," said the elderly lady, ending James' need for further conversation. He ran over to his phone and called for a stockman to come to electronics.

As soon as he put down the phone he looked up to see two people in line at his register wanting to be checked out. James felt like ignoring them and moving on to the other customers who have been waiting for a while, but Wal-Mart policy is that you can not deny any customer service under penalty of being fired and James really didnt want to lose his job. Fortunately all they had were a few CDs and a movie. In his rush James forgot to give the receipt to the first customer, who took off in a huff that she had to wait there for so long, and then the second one came up.

"Is this all that you need?" asked James politely.

"Actually I was wondering if I could get some of the stuff in the cases," said the lady. She was oversized and rolly, not the sort of person to be wearing the low cut hip huggers and pink tube top she had on. James almost cringed at the sight of her. This was what he hated the most, having to help people who just do not care about hygiene in any sort of way, and no, the overpowering perfume did not help the smell.

"Sure," he choked out between gasps for air, "what can I get for you?"

"I want an XBOX, Halo 2, a second controller and one of those portable DVD players over there."

"Ok," said James happy to move away from her. He got all the stuff and ran back, knowing the entire time he had more customers waiting who were getting angrier by the minute. He rang everything up and the lady got out her checkbook and wrote a check. James checked the check, looked at her ID and just when he was about to run it through he saw the number on the bottom that was scratched off.

"Crap," thought James, "this is gonna be a while."

"Ma'am, I just remembered that for a check this large I have to get approval. If you'll just wait a moment I'll get someone up here to approve it."

"Fine, whatever," said the ugly woman impatiently. James called the front and the phone rang, and rang, and rang, and well, you get the picture.

Finally Sergio picked up the phone, "Podium, this is Sergio."

"Hi Serg, I need you up here in electronics. "

"I'll get there as soon as I can, but its crazy up here you may have to wait."

"No Sergio, you dont understand, I 'need' you up here, now. I have a customer who is 'waiting'," said James trying to alert to Sergio that there was something evil at his register.

"I understand, Ill be right there."

"Thank you LORD," thought James.

"It'll just be a few minutes ma'am."

"Whaaat the hell," muttered the ugly lady.

James felt a hard tap against his right arm, his bad arm which compounded with stress seriously ticked him off, he turned to face an even angrier burly man.

"HEY," shouted the very angry burly man, "What gives?"

James almost said, "I dont know, what?" when he realized that these sort of things are not good to say to angry customers who are much larger than you.

"What is it that you need, sir?" said James as he sensed the anger level of his other customers go up a notch.

"Listen, Ive been waiting for one of you jack***es to help me with my phone for twenty minutes now and I'm gonna get some service. Now! I bought this Boost Mobile phone here, but now I come back to buy more minutes and you morons dont have any f***ing cards. Why the f*** do you sell the phones but not the f***ing cards?!"

After James whipped the spit from his face from the mans last rant, then he remembered that the coworkers he doesn't like (who he affectionately refers to as The Others) are in Photo today, and so he tells the simple truth.

"I'm sorry sir but as of last week cell phones are Photo's department. I can't answer that question for you; you'll have to ask them."

For a fleeting moment James could tell the man wanted to fold him in half and stuff him under the counter, but then he decided against it and went over to photo screaming and yelling curses the entire time.

"Hey James," said a familiar voice behind him, it was Sergio, come to save the day, "Whats going on?"

"Well," started James, the sounds of battle coming from the Photo department, "I need you to approve a check."

James handed Sergio the check and ID. Sergio spotted the fake check straight away and said, "I'll handle this."

Sergio looked at his watch, James saw two managers and security personnel running over to Photo.

"Hey its almost been five hours, you better clock out for lunch or youre going to violate!"

Praise God someone noticed!!!

"Alright," said James, relief from your position comes faster from Sergio.

"Yeah, just give me your keys and I'll get someone up here."

"Alright!" said James.

"Yeah, just take care of those two guys in Sporting Goods and you're free to go."

James walked cheerfully towards Sporting Goods when he saw out of the corner of his eye the same elderly woman standing next to the television she wanted. No one has yet to help her out. James ran and grabbed a cart, ran back to the elderly woman said, "I'll take the television to the front for you, it'll be waiting and ready to go out to your car at Costumer Service," and ran the television to the front.

He told Costumer Service who wanted it and then ran back to the break room to clock out. Seconds before he violates, James swiped his card and felt freedom wash over him. "I think I'll have a Subway today," thought James. Meanwhile, poor cashier Cristie, another human who is confused for a magic service genie because she wears a blue vest, stood in the middle of electronics extremely overwhelmed with countless people shouting at her.