Sunday, March 19, 2006

Costco Creep.

I had a bad experience while shopping at Costco today, and I'm trying to figure out what to do with it. I was with my husband and kids and they had already gotten in line when I remembered that I needed garlic, so I ran back to the produce section and grabbed some. I was about to turn around and was trying to remember anything else that I needed to get when I heard a forklift behind me and a man's voice say, "I wanna get a piece of that, hot ass." I turned around and saw the forklift and its green vest-wearing driver, who leered at me. I stepped out of the way and watched, stunned, as the forklift proceeded past me, the two employees who were walking next the driver looking at me with an "Oh shit!" expression on their faces. I felt frozen for a second, and then I walked quickly to the front of the store and found a manager named Cindy. I told her what had happened and she called the produce manager, Lance, to the front of the store to meet with us. Lance had been one of the two employees walking next to the forklift. Mr. Green Vest's name was Norman. I told Lance what had happened and he said that Norman was messing around all the time and didn't mean anything by it. He said he did things like that all the time and he didn't believe that Norman had used "the profanity." I said that I "absolutely heard the word ass." I also asked what he meant by saying that Norman did stuff like that all the time--did he have Turrets or a mental illness or something that "excused" it? He said no and didn't explain further. I had to go because the kids were anxious and upset and we were late for a family gathering, so I gave my phone number to Cindy and asked that it be addressed with Norman and that she call and tell me what resulted. I went to brunch with my family and later went to the Sunday knitting group at Highland Perk and talked to Susan, Margene, and Karen about it. Susan said I should definitely contact managers higher up than Cindy (who was basically a shift or "floor" manager) no matter what happened. After I got home, Cindy still hadn't called me so I called the store myself and spoke with her. She said that they had had a meeting with Lance and Norman and another manager. Lance said that Norman had been talking to him when he said what he said and that he hadn't used the word "ass", it just sounded that way because of Norman's hispanic accent. I didn't really know what to say--I don't even remember what I said to her at that point. I just felt traumatized. I don't really know where to go with it from here. I know Norman really said that stuff (what word sounds like "ass" when it's said with an accent?!), although he may not have been saying it to me. But I heard him, and when I turned around he looked at me. Memory and interpretation are slippery things. I got online and looked up Costco's toll-free membership number--should I still call? I told Cindy that I just wanted to make sure the matter was addressed. She said that she did too, and then told me to let her know the next time my family is there and she'll get us lunch for free. That seems rather pathetic--I don't want a damn hotdog. What I want is some kind of resolution, but I don't know what that looks like. This all brings back some really bad memories from highschool when a few boys in my homeroom continually sexually harrassed me. They wouldn't stop and the teacher and school administrators refused to do anything about it until my father threatened to sue ("Boys will be boys!" they actually said). Where do I go from here?

5 comments:

Kit said...

Oh ew, that is a TERRIBLE feeling. I'd do what I can, girl. You heard what you heard and you stick to it! ESPECIALLY if he does it all the time. Seriously, he should NOT be allowed to get away with it!

Anonymous said...

i'm sorry that happened to you. it's a terribly powerless feeling, especially when the management there did not really take you seriously. raise yourself some feminist young men, I say. that's the best way to fight back!

Anonymous said...

Oh, my GOD, what is this, 1975? You should absolutely not put up with this crap. "Ass" is the least of what he said. Norman should apologize. In writing.

Anonymous said...

It does not matter if you heard the word ass or not. "I want a piece of that" is enough. You should absolutely contact at least the store manager. I think you should also contact a regional or district manager if the store manager does not address it. This is a public store/company and they need to put a stop to that. Especially since they confessed that something similar has happened in the past.

Stitch-n-Snitch said...

I can't believe the Costco management would defend him. Grrr! You get him, girl!!!!