I have a story. Usually, my articles do not focus solely around one occurrence, but I thought an important message could come out of it. So, here it is:

I work at a shoe store in my local mall in a fairly big city, so a lot of families stop in to go shopping together. I just started this job, and I really like it for the most part. Although I enjoy my job, last week I had a particularly annoying group of customers. They came in about 30 or 40 minutes before my shift was scheduled to end, so I was hoping to get a few more sales before I clocked out. It was three teenage boys, a teenage girl and a mother; I am guessing it was the mother of the young girl. They were shopping for an upcoming party and needed to buy matching shoes for the occasion. They all selected a pair of high- top red shoes to try on, but we were having trouble finding shoes that fit each of them because they all wore different sizes. Due to this minor inconvenience, I was forced to run back and forth, grabbing shoe after shoe, hoping I could find something that worked for all of them. While this was agitating and tiresome, it is my job to help the customers, so I continued to be polite and courteous.

Truthfully though, the running back and forth was not the most annoying part of the situation. The annoying part was that the entire time, two of the teenage boys kept repeatedly asking for my number and Snapchat. They didn't just ask once; they asked over and over again, the whole time I was helping them. They also kept making flirty remarks in a joking manner, and proclaimed that they were just joking. I didn't really know how to respond to them at first, because they were very arrogant and kept laughing whenever I blew them off. Mind you, I was still trying to be polite because I wanted their money, but it was pretty obvious that I wanted nothing to do with them. They would ask for my Snapchat and I would say, "Well, maybe you will get it after you pay for the shoes." (I am a damn good saleswoman, I know.)

It was annoying, because I was trying to do my job and they kept flirting with me in a very cocky manner, and then they kept saying they were kidding. No, I do not think you were kidding. I think you are just too immature and insecure to talk to a woman like she is an actual human being. I do not like being belittled, and I do not like being disrupted when I am doing my job.

The crazy part was, the whole time the boys were annoying me, the mom stood there and did nothing, and she occasionally laughed! If I had a daughter and her friends were being that disruptive and annoying and disrespectful, I would not just stand there and laugh. That teaches them nothing and instigates that unacceptable behavior.

After they finally checked out, they asked me for my Snapchat one last time. I put on my sweetest smile and said, "If you want to see me again, come back and shop here again." And with that, they were gone. And so was their money, because I sold them over three hundred dollars in merchandise.

I usually like to be polite when I reject someone, because that is just how I am. There is no reason to be mean to someone, especially if they approached you politely, unlike those boys. But, if someone is annoying you or making you feel uncomfortable, you do not need to sit there and take it. If you are annoyed, say so. If you are being mistreated, say so. Do not allow yourself to be talked down to, and do not let someone speak over you. Your comfort is more of a concern than their pride. If a boy is disrespecting me or belittling me, I will not keep my "lady- like" composure and spare their pride. I will say something, and I will not be pushed around.

In retrospect, I kind of wish I would have said something even more sassy. But, I am also proud of myself for being so mature and calm. Plus, I made a damn good sale.

Sorry not sorry that you never got my number or Snapchat. The only things you guys left the store with were a couple pairs of shoes and a couple bruised egos.