Working retail is almost a teenage rite of passage. I worked as a cashier at a grocery store at the end of high school and into college, and while the work was grinding, it had its light moments — rubber band fights between the cashiers, the time the power went out and we had to walk around the store using our Nokia phone screens as flashlights…heck I even remember the recurring nightmare I had about yelling at customers trying to approach my line after my light was off.
If there’s anyone to bring the memories of those days rushing back, it’s Tumblr user kimpossibooty, who recently documented the quirks of his first week at Target for all the internet to laugh along to.
What's up friends I got a job and it went viral basically I'm famous and it's just a matter of time until I'm on Ellen how are you
— Tom! (@tomgrennell) September 1, 2016
Kimpossibooty, whose real-life name is Tom Grennell, keeps things light. He writes about receiving free drinks from a Starbucks barista he suspects has a crush on him, getting called back into the HR office the first day and receiving showers of praise instead of criticism, and one very cute transaction with a three-year-old:
A three year old came through, pushed by his personal chauffeur. He bought one small Spider-Man onesie. He carried out the entire transaction on his own. He was the most polite customer I have had so far.
Within four days of starting the job, Grennell discovers the addicting thing that is power, and all through something as innocent as a sale coupon:
The store is having a 10% off your entire purchase sale. I have a coupon to scan if anyone asks for it. I scan it if people don’t ask for it if they’re nice to me. I don’t scan it if they’re rude. Power is a new sensation. Power is a good sensation.
All in all, Grennell’s notes from his first week at Target are a sometimes hilarious, sometimes touching reflection on the diversity of the store’s customer base. Some people show up in prairie dresses and headscarves to purchase frappuccinos, and some people — yes, even the elderly if you can believe it, Tom — are there for their lingerie needs.
The great news in all of this is that Grennell is just getting started with his time at Target. Since his original Tumblr post blew up, he started a new Tumblr blog specifically for his retail reflections. So far he’s only reblogged the original post and the PSA from Kimpossibooty, but we look forward to seeing what sort of hilarity comes next.
Check out Grennell’s full reflections below: