'Every time he asked me a question I said, "Hmm, not sure"': Tropical fish store's expert employee tries to help customer, customer demands to be aided by 'someone who knows things'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Nov 14, 2023 5:00 PM EST

Even though she was only 17 years old, this woman was already an expert on koi and other tropical fish. It's fortuitous that she got a job to match, starting off at a retail tropical fish store. 

Whether you have a pet or not, spending time at pet stores is a fun and free activity to do. Many stores have tons of cats and dogs, some have gerbils or birds, and others have aisles and aisles of fish tanks. As far as retail jobs go, I imagine this is a pretty calm place to work most of the time. 

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement

  • But there's no such thing as a retail job without the silliest customers in the world walking in and thinking they know everything better than you. You'll always encounter a few people like this dude, who was wildly misogynistic towards a young fish store employee. Even in current year, some people still don't think all genders are equal to one another, as if that determines your ability to work in a retail role. 

    Check out u/slmpickings's story below, plus comments from workers who've also rolled their eyes during similar experiences. Then, this dude's ex demanded he take all of his belongings out of their shared storage unit… too bad the ex forgot he owned the washer, dryer, and their car. 

  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 9837167104
    via Maksym Sirman on Unsplash
  • 02
    "Can I talk to someone who KNOWS THINGS? Like a MAN?"
    via u/slmpickings
  • 03
    This popped into my mind recently. I used to work at a retail tropical fish store, and weird as it is, we were very well known. We used to provide the aquarium with rare fish and people used to drive from 2-3 states over if they were true "fish people" to come buy from us.
    via u/slmpickings
  • 04
    I (at the time 17F) was an expert in tropical fish and koi. In fact, it was my job that summer to be the koi and outdoor pond point person, and my job was not only stocking the ponds, but managing all the plants, caring for them, and knowing every bit of information and all the prices of the various koi and goldfish we had. I knew diets, temperature ranges, places of origin, special breeds, I knew it all. They even would call me with questions on my days off.
    via u/slmpickings
  • 05
    That clearly did not matter to one customer though. He came inside the store and asked for some help with koi outside. I happily agreed as I was the only person not on my lunch break.
    via u/slmpickings
  • 06
    Now this guy frankly seemed put off by me offering to help. So instead of buying anything, he decided to quiz me for 20 minutes about the koi, goldfish and pond plants to try to get me to admit I didn't know something. I answered every single one of his stupid questions (some really were stupid) and at the end of the 20 minutes he had the """Can I talk to someone who KNOWS THINGS? Like a MAN?" Full emphasis in tone on those words too. to say
    via u/slmpickings
  • 07
    "Sure you can," I say with a fake smile "let me get 'John' for ya" Here's the malicious compliance. "John", name changed, was 75, retired, annoying as and batshit crazy. My boss didn't even want him to be hired but he owed John a favor. Now John is an expert in goldfish, but he hates koi and outside ponds. John also like I said, is really annoying, and crazy but he had a soft spot for me so we always would chat.
    via u/slmpickings
  • 08
    I went inside to find John, and explained to him that this customer wanted a man to talk to. John asked me why he wanted to speak to a man when I was the pond point person, and I told him that he clearly just didn't like that he was speaking to a girl. John nods knowingly, gets this EVIL grin on his face, and goes to help the customer
    via u/slmpickings
  • 09
    5 minutes later I hear a man yelling in the parking lot. I run outside and find the customer screaming at John and cursing him out
    via u/slmpickings
  • 10
    "What is WRONG with you? Does nobody f*ing know anything around here? I WILL NEVER COME BACK! You're all horrible and know nothing about fish, and you're a terrible employee" (or something to that effect) I watch the guy hop into his car, slam the door & drive off.
    via u/slmpickings
  • 11
    I ask John what happened. He said "oh yeah no everytime he asked me a question I said 'hm, not sure... good question though, I could go get OP and ask, she's really our pond expert' and apparently he DID NOT like that" Customer, if you read & remember this, FU. Thanks for reading
    via u/slmpickings
  • 12
    TL;DRI (17f) am expert at fish store. Older male customer doesn't like this, asks "Can I talk to someone who KNOWS THINGS? Like a MAN?" So I get the most annoying man who works there to literally annoy him into leaving the store & vowing never to come back Edit: THANKS FOR THE AWARDS FRIENDS! I hope you all are being safe & being kind to one another, I'm glad so many people got a kick out of my story!
    via u/slmpickings
  • 13
    diadiktyo Annoyingness notwithstanding, John is a good friend; he's the kind of people you keep around. 42.7k GOO Reply Share slmpickings OP. He was! He used to bring me in mini pies every day after finding out that I liked them. He's now retired in Florida but I think about how much we messed with customers together who are us often
    via u/diadiktyo
  • 14
    leafah This is the best! I love this so much! But also I'm so sorry that man was incredibly to you and doubted your ability and knowledge about fish just because you're a girl. But this is hilarious!
    via u/leafah
  • 15
    bobowhat This story sounds fishy. Sorry, It's 5:30am and I have yet to sleep. I ran into this attitude when I was working at a pet store years ago. Almost all of our animal care experts were woman, and I said the same kind of thing as John a few times.
    via u/bobowhat
  • 16
    slmpickings OP. I honestly find it super weird that people just don't believe that you can be knowledgeable and do your job? Like yes I feed fish and change tanks for a living but shouldn't that also mean I know things about fish? Like why else would they hire me?
    via u/slmpickings
  • 17
    deathclawslayer21 I wish I could have held the title of fish pond expert or at least be able to put that on a resume sounds Jsweet de 40 Reply Share slmpickings OP. As fun as it is, it really holds no value in life. But I did just find a position on indeed.com that was looking for a fish expert, and if it wasn't another whole state away I totally would've applied for it because I'm overqualified
    via u/deathclawslayer21
  • 18
    OraDr8 I had the same thing happen when I was 19 and also worked at a pet/aquarium shop, except the man asked for someone "older" because he had a question about birds. My dad bred and showed birds and I had grown up with them but he wouldn't even ask me his question. I remember thinking "you want a guy". I directed him to my 17 year old, male co worker. The dude was happy with that but at checkout I made sure to mention how lucky we were to have such a knowledgeable schoolkid on our team.
    via u/OraDr8
  • 19
    slmpickings OP. Oof. I used to get the "is someone older here" thing a lot too and I would just give them to one of my bosses who literally commented "I did way too much a in the 60s" like once a week and wouldn't answer questions without telling a 10 minute unrelated story. Like, enjoy your older person, terrible customer!
    via u/slmpickings

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

malicious compliance malicious-compliance-reddit fish malicious compliance reddit customer service man woman retail karen-customer coworkers customers questions coworker
Scroll Down For The Next Article