A Retail Holiday

 You know, one thing that irked me a bit during the pandemic....

Was the fact that the "Essential Workers" didn't ever get a break.

Like people got to 'stay home' or 'work from home' but the 'essential businesses' where people 'needed' them....stayed open. Workers stayed working at the business. 

And like in the moment....I was grateful. Grateful to not lose my job. Grateful to have a source of income when I knew so many people lost their jobs.

But I am so exhausted. I know it's impossible to sell food from your home. Or sell pets and such from home.

But I really wished that we had a break like other people did during the pandemic.

And like sure....hours were shortened so stores weren't open as long.

But actually getting a break from work?

Not so much.

And it kinda just hit home today how much retail workers sacrifice to make other people happy.

Because for like 99% of holidays...retail sort of stores and food related places....stay open.

There's no holidays for those businesses.

Like the only days my work closes are Thanksgivng and Christmas. Which are 2 days of the year.

And sure, on the more major holidays we often 'close early'

But it's not the same as having an actual 'holiday'

And holidays seriously are the worst.

Because everyone else who gets the holiday off...often decide to come shoppinng on said day off. 

Which means a lot of pets being sold and a lot of customers in the store. 

And it was....sooo irritaitng to have to constantly be doing cat adoptions today. Like I spent probably half of my shift showing customers cats becuase they decided that they had to have a new family member today. 

*exhales*

It made me wish that we had "Retail" holidays.

Like actual holidays where all retail businesses closed.

If federal holidays can allow other businesses to take a day off.

Why can't we also have retai holidays too?

Like it wouldn't have to be that often really. Just do one Retail Holiday every quarter. Once every 4 months.

Pick a Monday or a Friday and just....have retail businesses close.

No food. No pets. No clothes shopping. No fast food.

.... I'm sure the world would riot actually if we did that. At least more of the crazy Americans would because they would be like "BUT I NEED MY NEW SWEATER NOW!!" 

Or the more important "I forgot to buy food for pet or myself and I NEED IT" 

It would probably have to be a rotating holiday for retail. Like it's a monday for Groceries. A friday for clothes stores. A Saturday for Animal stores so the whole economy doesn't vanish 4 times a year.

But yah.

I think us retail workers deserve our own 'holidays' where we're not required to be at work and can just chill.

Never gonna happen unfortunately. Not with any corporate businesses at least. They value earning money too much to risk giving their workers 4 retail holidays a year. 

*exhales*

Still. It would be nice.

Especially after having had to deal with customers on holidays for the last decade.

Worst days ever in the retail world. Honestly.

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi