I could already tell I wasn't going to finish my shift on a high note today.
Because there was a dull ache beginning behind my eyes.
Indicating that even though I had gotten enough sleep last night....
My body didn't believe I had (apparently walking around like crazy pokemon hunting yesterday is exhausting?)
So I knew that once I got home I would need to crash for a bit to try and rejuvenate my social battery and rest and such.
I could tell I wasn't in a good spot either.
Because a couple of ill-fated customer interactions...well didn't go so well. And that was niggling in the back of my mind.
Because I knew I could have done more to be a better help to these customers.
I just...ended up making the wrong choices in the heat of the moment.
And the knowledge I wasn't doing well was mentally stressing me out. (dear brain stop overthinking things)
And then....
I got stuck in the middle of a rush.
It was just me and three managers in the store.
One manager had recently gone on lunch.
A second was our main cashier.
And the third was helping out our grooming manager w/ some things as well as getting waylaid by other customers.
Which meant...that when the Cashiering manager asked for backup....
I was the only one available to help.
Which I could do because I had just sent a customer off away from adoptions to go shopping for items they needed for the cat they were adopting.
So I had a few minutes to spare.
But in the middle of helping this rush of people.
My work phone started ringing.
I put it on silent because I was on register.
Only to have the Cashiering Manager pick it up and put the customer back on hold...turning to tell me that there was a customer who needed my help (since I was the only PetCare person totally in the store) with some questions about a Water Dragon.
Which I was like. OH No.
Because the only Chinese Water Dragon that had been purchased recently....
Had been purchased by a lady who's become overly paranoid (thanks to a coworker or two who made taking care of the water dragon seem much more difficult than it actually was)
And plagued me everyday for a week like a month ago about how to care for the said creature.
Being paranoid about if it was eating, if it was being active enough, if it had enough humidity, if it was warm enough. etc.
Which...so confused because the woman's owned other lizards before.
I'm certain she mentioned that.
So she should know that they aren't that difficult to take care of.
But because she'd never owned a water dragon before....
Or...any tropical reptile apparently.
She became overparanoid that she was going to kill the thing. (again because my coworkers freaked her out about caring for it)
Which seriously...I almost wish she just brought the reptile back because honestly, if she's going to be so stressed out about the creature why not just bring it back and be done with the stress?
*shakes head*
Like....if you're asking me how often to change the water, and freaking out because two crickets disappeared in the cage but you're freaking out because 'what if they're hiding in the dirt and the dragon didn't eat it' ...then maybe it's best to try a....more simple pet?
In any case.
I was hoping that this wasn't the customer on hold.
Especially because there was no easy way for me to break free from register.
Again, due to a rush.
But like it would only be another minute before the phones started ringing again,
And again I was the only one able to help this customer on the phone because the manager over my department was currently out on lunch.
So I made the choice to answer the phone at the register.
Thinking that it wouldn't be that hard to answer a quick question and then continue helping the people standing in line.
*exhales*
It wouldn't have been.
If it had been a simple question from a customer on the phone.
But nope.
It was the paranoid lady on the phone.
Who had bought the Chinese Water dragon like a month ago.
Which considering the creature was still alive after a month....I would think that the paranoia would die down because...hey the lizard wasn't dead yet, therefore you're doing something right.
*exhales*
Wrong apparently.
So I got stuck trying to help her and customers at the register for like...fifteen minutes it felt like?
It was probably shorter than that.
But like...trying to have two conversations at once?
Horrible idea.
Doesn't work.
I can't focus on two different things at once very well even though I've had a bit of practice doing so as I did go to school to be an interpreter. So I know how to listen to one thing while saying another.
But listening to two things....yah doesn't work.
So I kept apologizing to the customers in line.
When I had to have them reenter phone numbers, and got delayed in pressing the right buttons so they could finish checking out....
Though thankfully they were all rather understanding of the situation and seemed to take it well enough.
When I was finally able to hang up the phone and again apologize about not helping them as well as I could have, the customers in line were very understanding and it made me feel a bit better about things.
Though still stressful.
So stressful.
Especially because the lady on the phone was asking me questions I couldn't exactly answer.
First she wanted to know how old our Chinese water dragon was when we got him in.
Which. I have no idea.
I don't see the creatures when they're born nor do I know how long it takes them to get certain sizes.
Like I've been told by coworkers that our tortoises are like 10 years old when they come in. (because they grow slow...?) but like they could be much younger? idk.
But generally I assume most of our reptiles our 3-6 months old when they come in.
Mostly because that's the age of our birds and small pets when they come in.
So I told the woman on the phone that. He's probably 3-6 months old, but I don't know for sure.
Which I missed what she said next, because again, I was helping customers on the register as well.
I just got that she'd gotten on the internet and asked google how old the reptile was and found a site that indicated the approx. age of Water Dragons based on just body size, but also based on body size plus the length of the tail.
Which checking google just now, it looks like the water dragons are probably closer to 6 months old if not up to a year old when they come into the store, judging by the usual size they come in as.
In any case.
I reiterated that they're usually 3-6 months old. But we don't know for sure.
To which the conversation segwayed into her wanting to know if we had vets look at the water dragons before they come into the store and if there were any specific shots/vaccinations that she needed to be looking to give her water dragon.
Which. O.o
Lady...it's a reptile.
It's not a dog or cat that can give you rabies...I don't think they ever need to have any shots. Or really be taken to the vet unless they've gotten sick.
*shakes head*
So I told her that our pets are vet certified when they come in.
But I don't know what standards the water dragons needed to meet in order to be vet certified, and I had no idea if any medications/deworming/shots had been given before hand.
-I'm leaning to not.
But she was asking because she wanted to know when the water dragon would be old enough to need to be dewormed? Or get a deworming vaccination or something?
Because she had a friend who owned a water dragon
-Which if she has a friend who's had one....why not ask them all these questions?-
But that water dragon ended up dying because her friend hadn't gotten it dewormed....
O.o ....nothing I'd ever heard of before....
But okay.
Again, I was like...I have no idea. They're too young for us to do anything with here.
(like if you're concerned why not call a vet and ask?? -now that I think on it I should have just told her to call the vet we take our reptiles to and ask them)
In any case I was like "They're not like cats or dogs, they don't have certain shots/vaccinations they need.
Basically the only thing you should be worrying about is if they stop eating and stop being active.
To which she was like "But he just sits there!"
And I'm like it's a reptile!! THEY SIT THERE! but instead I was like "If he lifts his head and is alert when you pick him up then he's fine"
Which meant another five minute explanation from her on how the water dragon reacts when she picks it up out of the cage and such.
-Again...he's still alive. Still eating. Why are you still being paranoid?!
But she was like "He's only eating mealworms though, nothing else. Is there something wrong with him?"
*exhales*
NO.
Reptiles can be just as picky as humans.
Some prefer eating one insect over the other.
So if he's not eating crickets but is eating mealworms or visversa....He's FINE.
I mean we recommend trying to vary the diet.
But there are reptiles who refuse to vary the diet.
Soooo as long as he's eating something.
He's fine.
So long as he's alert and perky.
He's fine.
Basically. Stop being so paranoid over the reptile! He's still alive and eating and such therefore. You're doing a great job taking care of the reptile.
*exhales*
The entire conversation I was mentally shaking my fist at the coworker who sent this customer on such a paranoid streak.
Because sheesh.
I don't understand why she's still kept the thing if she's so worried about it. *exhales*
Thankfully I was able to end the call (after helping like four customers on the register)
And get away from back up cashiering....
But the damage had been done basically.
I overextended my social reserves.
And drained my battery.
Which meant...yah suffering from a headache currently because I wasn't ready to be needed in twelve different directions at once.
(It's Monday after all. it shouldn't be that busy)
*shakes head*
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
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