Working at South San Francisco’s 'Disneyland'

By Sasa Maksimovic
Menlo Oak Staff

I work at a warehouse that sells stuff in bulk, it is a place that is very well known and you know you the name of this store, but because I want to keep my job I will not be saying it by name. 

I had a few jobs before I started to work there, I did catering and I worked for my dad’s hardwood floor installing company. When I got hired to work retail, I did not expect to see the ugly side of the people.

Every time I come in to work feeling OK because my day hasn’t been ruined. But every day I leave work, I leave with a little bit of my hope for humanity gone. 

Many young adults work at this store. We all are amazed at  how people act toward us. Sometimes, it  really makes you hate people. This feeling is something that you should not be feel at such a young age. The worst part is the workers can’t even do anything about it. You have to stand there be quiet and take the ridicule that is thrown at you for eight hours a day. 

I know you are wondering “why did you put Disneyland in the title of the essay then?” Well the workers here  call it Disneyland because people seem to come to the place like it is an amusement park and not a place to get your groceries. It’s crazy to see how many people come into the store and do not  buy anything. They just walk around and let their kids mess everything up, eat the samples and leave. 

Customers will come in and treat you like an absolute piece of trash. It seems like they come there and they don’t realize that you don’t want to make their day any worse than it already is, all you want to do help.  I’ve had people tell me to shut up when I asked them if they would like some help, people act like total racists, others want to pick a fight with you. The list of offenses goes on and on. 

One day I was assisting for a cashier named Chris, and an older white lady came to our register. She wanted someone to run to the back of the store and get her an item. I volunteered because I have no problem helping others. I ask her what she wanted and the lady said, “Can you get someone else to do it? You Mexicans don’t want to work hard.” 

The cashier Chris looked at me in total disbelief. First of all I’m not even Latino, I’m from Eastern Europe. Second of all I really couldn’t believe that someone in 2012, after all the things that have been done to stop racism and to make the world a better place, would display such a lack of courtesy toward others with such a blatant act of racism. Why would anyone say something like that out loud? 

A thing like that is what makes me hate how the world is. Of course racism still exists, but I never expected to see it like that at my job. Before this job I was so open to people.  When I first started working there, I tried my best to be really nice to every person I met. But after being treated like I was  not a regular human being, it gets hard to be nice. Now, I go  to work with a frown on my face.

A warehouse worker that asked not to be named said “It’s crazy but after a certain point of getting insulted over and over it actually starts to get funny and you can laugh it off.”

He is absolutely right; there are some things that are so ridiculous that you just can’t help but laugh it off.

We will get people coming into the story who are genuinely nice. It shocks me.  I will do anything to make sure they are happy because I really appreciate their attitude.  

Other than that there isn’t much you can do but go on and keep making money. I guess it comes with the job.

This is the first in an occasional series reflecting opinions of Menlo College students who have part-time jobs while they are full-time students. Let us know if you would like to write for "Learn, Earn" by sending an email to themenlooak@menlo.edu