Rargirl and the Terrible Horrible Very Bad (Awful) no Good Shopping Day

Today I took on a little too much on my “day off” from my primary job and had some embarrassing mishaps. I booked myself very heavily in two suburbs 30 minutes away in opposite directions.

First, I merchandised at 9 C stores and 4 G stores. I had a lunch time fast casual dining shop at one of my favorite lunch places ever. I had been looking forward to it. I made it there and got a lucky street parking spot. So far, this sounds like a good day. But once inside of my beloved lunch spot, I ordered, sat down at the table and started feeling epically ill.

I had to check the restroom for the shop, but once I opened the door. I encountered a room with more problems than I have ever seen. This is not the type of place one wants to be feeling unwell. After a very extended and horrible personal time in that dungeon, I thought maybe I could eat one little bite of my food. No, that was not a good idea. I started getting sick in the dining room. I ran out the door and made it to the bushes.

I did not return to the restaurant. Taking my food to go and smelling it all the way home sounded like a bad idea. My shirt destroyed, I put on my sweatshirt. It is unseasonably warm here today so sweaty and smelling unsavory, I left one incomplete C-store merchandising job in that borough, which I will have to drive back for.

After a swift drive home, shower, outfit change and Imodium, I drove to the other berg in the opposite direction, visiting an electronics store to learn about some new technology. I was engaged in an interesting conversation with a very kind and helpful employee who was so forthcoming with their brand recommendations, but suddenly I am sick again. I ask where the restroom is. It is out of order. I said to the employee “thankyousoverymuchforallofyourkindrecommendationsIwilldosomeresearchtoconsiderthoseoptions”…. Then scurried to the parking lot.

Outside the door, I ran to the nearest bushes, catching the eye of Loss prevention in the parking lot who followed me around the corner saw what was happening and high tailed it the other way.

My spouse in the car, saw me running in the opposite direction and tried driving around and calling my phone to find out where I went. Spouse found me and saw the state I was in then also became extremely ill at the sight.

Next, unwilling to leave more work undone in another direction, I carried on to my Grocery Store full-service shop. I needed to “ask questions” so, “where is the restroom?” was first off my lips. In yet another horrid public restroom, I cleaned myself up to the point where the untrained eye might not notice my shirt tied around my waist. I visited the required departments, had the conversations and grabbed the food items I needed to. The smell of the store made me feel awful. I realized I forgot my wallet, figured out how to use Apple Pay and got the heck out of there.

Finally, I forced myself to complete my 2 G store merchandising visits in this area. Each location was new to me, so I needed to introduce myself to the manager, explain the entire program, go over paperwork, find stock, do the whole count pictures inventory, explaining the whole ordering and merchandising process to the store managers who were on site thankfully at each location.

What a lovely time to make a new business partner! I am sure my aroma was impressionable. Each location made a very large order, so I will be back to spend more quality time with each of them in two weeks. I am quite certain they will remember me.

While I am inside the last location, my spouse in car gets a call they accidentally no call no showed for a shift– somehow the schedule mysteriously changed. This shopping day was planned two weeks ago. We rush back home so spouse can become presentable for work – of course there is traffic, and they need a full shower/wardrobe change, then have to walk/run to work so I can use the car for more merchandising.

In contradiction to the title, one good thing did happen today. I was able to reschedule my dinner shop back in the second town for the week I return for the restocking visits. I didn’t have to beg or anything, and I am fairly new to that MSP. This could be nothing but luck. I could not face further interaction with food today so I am grateful.

I hope everyone is having a much smoother, non-humiliating shopping day! Now to write some reports

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You are a strong person to finish shops while ill. I hope you can laugh at this day----soon.
Well, that is quite the day!

I woke up sick yesterday and was unable to move two of the tasks I had scheduled for today. Fortunately, they were easy shops and not interactive so I could do them with watermelon head and a face mask.

Hope you are feeling better!
@rargirl wrote:

After a swift drive home, shower, outfit change and Imodium
rargirl, I would have stopped here! You're a trooper. Try not to overbook/extend yourself. Go get some sleep/rest!
I agree stopping would have been good self care. Today I was dreading needing to contact 5 separate companies. I’m shopping tomorrow too and was thinking what if this gets worse? I might need to play the flexibility card tomorrow. One of my shops was with a most notorious scheduler who is mostly unaware I exist.
@weatherman2111 wrote:

Got that Norovirus eh?

I was able to eat a bagel and take a nap and I’m feeling somewhat better. If tomorrow is bad of course I’ll head to the dr. I’m not sure how long Norovirus lasts but I remember students being dorm quarantined at a college I worked at so I hope not! I go to so many stores and I touch all the toy displays which are teeming with germs.
@rargirl wrote:

One of my shops was with a most notorious scheduler who is mostly unaware I exist.
Just my opinion, be sure to schedule the shops that have negative consequences for rescheduling on days you can absolutely commit to with no other competing items.
Whenever I am assigned a shop with "restroom audit" I always put a surgical mask and a pair of glove in the pocket just in case it smell very bad. I would also keep a box of mint of anything mint related so I can use that cleansing my nose smelling touch after the audit.
Oh man what a tough day! Hope you get to feeling better and can reschedule anything outstanding.
There is no good reason to jeopardize your health for mystery shopping. Those MSC's aren't going to go out of their way to help you if you get hurt or end up in the hospital because you worked too hard for them. Give them the same consideration. Take care of yourself FIRST.
Morledzep, I agree! Same goes with any professional workplace.

Not related to individual contractors, but some don't want you to work at less than 100%, if it affects your performance.
Wow, there's no way I would have done that. No, I take that back. I did power through a bank shop while I had an attack of vertigo. I could feel it coming on and knew if the guy kept talking i would puke on his desk. I held onto the wall as i was leaving and made it to parking lot and threw up. Im sure they thought i was drunk. But that was only one shop..kudos to you.

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The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain
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