Happy Birthday to Me

Well, today was (is) my birthday, and it wasn't so bad. I had to work, but it could have been worse. I got the usual phone calls from the usual people and pretty much just relaxed, until I had to go to work. Work was the same as any other day, except that I got a birthday card and a Staples gift certificate from my co-workers, which was nice. I'll probably use the gift card to buy a tape recorder. I have always wanted one, for various reasons. Most of the reasons involve blackmail and other nerfarious acts, but I also would like one for school use, in the fall. Using a tape record should be a lot easier than taking notes, and the particular tape recorder that I want allows me to download my recordings on to my computer. That would make my life very easy.

While at work today, I was reminded of one thing that really pisses me off. I would spare you the details, but this is my blog, so what kind of person would I be if I didn't share it with you? I'll tell you what kind of person I'd be, a person who doesn't piss and moan, and that just isn't for me. On with the pissing and the moaning....

Okay, what I am going to tell you is one of the most difficult things that I have to do at work, aside for masturbating in the bathroom without getting caught. That is pretty damn difficult, but this is almost as hard, no pun intended. Anyways, it involves refusing to sell a drunk more alcohol. Now, if it were up to me, I couldn't care less if they are already drunk off their ass, but I have to refuse to sell to them. It seems that "the man" has various reasons for this, but most of the reasons make no sense to me. I often hear that I can't sell to them because it would promote drinking and driving. Hello, how the fuck did they get to 7-11 in the first place? The majority of them certainly didn't walk to 7-11. To a point, I can understand this argument because maybe people will realize that they won't get turned down, so they might be more likely to get into their car and go get some more beer. I can see that the potential for trouble is there, but this is by far the strongest pro-refusal argument....

On to some other arguments though, which are far more flawed. Sometimes I hear that, if I sell to them, what if they get into an accident and kill someone on their way home? To that, I say, what if I refuse them and they kill someone on their way to another convenience store? You can spin this any way you want to, but no one knows what will happen, not even everyone's main man, Jesus. I also often hear that, if I sell beer to someone, I would be partially responsible for any accident or death they may cause, which, if true, is total fucking bullshit. I didn't do anything, other then sell them alcohol, which is part of my God damn job description. I hear all these things from my co-workers and the higher-ups, so I have no idea if they are true or not, but I suspect them all to be scare tactics.

Furthermore, I also frequently hear that I can't sell to a drunk person because some people just don't know their limits, so I have to play the part of the controller. I think that this is a total crock of shit. I don't feel comfortable refusing people, for two reasons....

Reason number one: there is what I like to call, a mean drunk. When I refuse them, they get loud and obnoxious, usually screaming obscenities at me. That is all good, but I can't say anything back at them, which is often difficult to do. I don't want to lose my job over some asshole drunk, so I must refrain from retaliating, which is the more civilized action to take anyway.

On to reason number two: I see no precise way to tell if someone is drunk enough for me to refuse them. Obviosuly, if they can't form a coherent sentence or are stumbling over, it is an easy refusal. It becomes more difficult though, especially when you think you should refuse someone, but you have no hard evidence against them. That would be like convicting someone for murder just because they looked like someone who would kill. In addition to that, some people are just good actors, so I have to give them props for trying. Shouldn't I also give them the benefit of the doubt? I say yes, but I am never sure if I am doing the right thing. I have no exact guidelines, which makes my job difficult at times.

I also have a problem with this, for another reason. If I refuse to sell alcohol to someone who is too drunk, should I also refuse to sell something off of the grill to someone who is too fat? By "the man's" logic and the reasoning of some of my co-workers, it is the same concept. By selling the unhealthy grill food to a morbidly obese person, they could have a heart attack and die. Would I be at fault for his or her death? Of course I wouldn't, but I see it as the principle. It seems to me that we worry so much about the drunk drivers because we all see it, from time to time, in the news. I agree, it is something to worry about. As I said before though, they are already at my God damn 7-11 trying to buy booze. Isn't it too late to worry about it now, they are already half way home. Even if I refuse to sell to them, they still could kill someone on their way home. I don't know, maybe I am way off here, but I really don't see how this prevents anything.

I have rambled on for too long, so I will finish my post with an ending that fits:

Leaves are falling all around, It's time I was on my way.
Thanks to you, I'm much obliged for such a pleasant stay.
But now it's time for me to go. The autumn moon lights my way.
For now I smell the rain, and with it pain, and it's headed my way.
Sometimes I grow so tired, but I know I've got one thing I got to do...

Ramble On, And now's the time, the time is now, to sing my song.
I'm going 'round the world, I got to find my girl, on my way.
I've been this way ten years to the day, Ramble On,
Gotta find the queen of all my dreams.