Dearest Customers,

I am a person.

I am here to help you.

I am not here to take your abuse.

I am not here to be treated like dirt or something you find stuck to the bottom of your shoe.

I am not here to be yelled at because the store doesn't have what you want.

I am here to help you.

And everyone else who comes through those doors.

All I'm asking for is a little understanding.

A little patience.

A little kindness.

There are many of you.

There is only one of me, and there is nothing I can do to change that.

Believe me, I've tried.

I am here because I have to be.

I am here because this where I can find work right now.

Believe me, this is not how I envisioned the future.

Not by a long shot.

But this is how things are.

And all I'd like is a little kindness.

Because I'm a person.

Because I deserve to exist.

Because I am not better or worse than you.

I am just me.

That is all I am and all I can be.

I treat you with respect not because you are a customer but because you are a person.

I treat you with respect because it's common courtesy.

I treat you with respect because it's what I was taught to do.

It's not you vs. me.

It's not me vs. you.

It never was.

It never will be.

There are no winners.

There are no losers.

There are only people who have the right to exist.

I'm sorry if we don't have what you want.

I'm sorry if you drove here for nothing.

I'm sorry that it's beyond my control and that I can't make what you want magically appear.

Believe me, if I could, I would.

But I can't, which is why I'm just asking for a little respect.

A little understanding.

A little patience.

I'm trying to help you.

I want to help you.

I don't want to feel bad about myself, or worse than I already do.

I don't want to think dark thoughts.

I don't want to re-evaluate every decision that I've ever made in life.

I don't want to, but I do.

Every time you sneer at me.

Or yell at me.

Or try to show your superiority over me when you don't even know me.

I know I work in retail.

I don't need to be reminded.

And it's really, really hard to stand there and smile while you pile on the abuse.

But I will.

I have to.

Because I have faith that I'll get through this.

I'll finally get to where I'm going.

And after I do, if I see you, I won't lord it over you.

I'll just smile.

And this time I'll mean it.