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| About Your Size Barbie |
During my misspent youth, I worked at the normal number of low-paying jobs, babysitting, cleaning, day-camp counselor, bartender, food server at military mess, sales staff at a cigarette bar, and retail clerk in a small department store. I enjoyed all the jobs well enough, most of the time, although I did decide never to smoke or drink or have children.
Most significantly, I swore a solemn oath never, ever to work retail at Christmas again.
In November, the racks in the lingerie section of the store where I worked was packed tightly with pyjamas, nightgowns and robes. Most of the customers were women choosing gifts ... until Christmas Eve. In the morning, men were waiting outside before the doors opened and all day the department was thronged. No one seemed to know what size his wife wore. "She's about your size, maybe a little shorter, taller, fatter, thinner."
On Boxing Day, all the wives came in to return their Christmas presents.
I just finished reading Caitlin Kelly's book Malled and I think she would sympathize with my attitudes about working retail. I get so frustrated when the federal government crows about job creation. So many new jobs are low-paying, dead-end, part-time jobs. If your economy is built on the service industry, then you’d better make sure the service workers are happy.
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