So I went out shopping last night. I’m on a mission to find a cute outfit for the holiday party that my girls and I have every year. Its not too often that I get back to Oakland, and when I do get back I try to spend as much time as I can with my girls. I miss them TERRIBLY…..I digress. Anyway, as I was on my way to the mall I decided to stop by a couple of stores on the way. Ross, TJ Maxx, Target…you know…those types of stores…nothing major, just trying to cease the opportunity to catch a good deal. I don’t have my purse with me b/c I don’t carry a purse to work, and I was coming straight from the office. So I grab my wallet and keys and head on in to the store. Now, I’m walking around TJMaxx looking at the dresses. Didn’t find anything. Then I proceed to the jeans section and realized that the last thing I need is another pair of jeans to add to the 40+ pair that are currently sitting in my closet (I think I might rotate the same 4 pair though). So I head over to the tops aisle and come across a few tops that I’d like to try one. 3 tops to be exact.
So here I am going into the dressing room with my keys, my wallet, and the 3 tops that I plan to try on. The lady in the dressing room checks to see how many items I have, and proceeds to give me the little plastic thingy with “3” marked clear as day. I’m now in the lil 4X4 room trying to squeeze my boobies into these cute little shirts. Two of them fit nice but one was not flattering AT ALL. Had it been on someone with smaller, perkier boobs, it might have worked. But on me….I looked like a slut. So that top was a no go. Anyway, as I’m exiting the dressing room I hand the lady the plastic thingy and the one shirt that didn’t work and proceed to walk to cashier (I still had a mall to get to mind you, so no more browsing for me).
As the gentleman is ringing me up, the lady from the dressing room walks over to the check out area and throws some tags (apparently tags that someone had taken off of some clothes) onto the counter and says “someone stole again”. Everyone around is just looking at her. The way she threw the tags, and the stark tone of her voice made it seem as though someone had stolen from her personally. She was clearly pissed. As she was walking away from the check out area, she stopped dead in her tracks, turn around and looks me dead in the eye and say, “was it you?!?” WTF!!!! Is she f*ck’n serious! I was in shock, I was confused, and just stood there. Apparently she thought I didn’t hear her and wanted to make sure that I knew that she was talking directly to me. Again she repeated “ someone stole again, was it you?!?”. I was dumbfounded. Could this woman really be this outta pocket! So I asked her “are you serious!” She just continued to glare me down. At this point my hands started to shake, my eyes were on the verge of tearing, I was soooo upset. Everyone around stood in awe. The gentleman ringing me up stood there…eyes wide open, mouth dropped. From his facial expression, it was clear that he too could not believe what was happening. Immediately he picked up the phone and THEN asked if I wanted him to call the manager. This was not right! Not right at all! Never in my life had I felt so humiliated.
So of course at this point I felt attacked. It’s one thing to be suspicious of someone stealing, it’s another thing to basically accuse someone of stealing. I immediately went on the defense and began to tell the lady what I had walked in the dressing room with, and what I had walked out with. Where the hell could I have hid some clothes? In my pocket? In my shoes?...cuz I sure didn’t have a purse. Remember, I walked in with a wallet and some keys. What would make this woman think that I stole something from TJMaxx!!! Was I dressed in a way that would make one suspect me to be a criminal? I guess the brown slacks and the cardigan sweater were dead giveaways! Dressed in sheep’s clothing…..I guess.
So by now, the manager had come out from the back and politely asked that I explain what had happened. I began to recap the scene. The cashier even chimed in from time to time in support of my story. It was clear from the manager’s facial expression that she WAS NOT PLEASED…not in the least. She then told me that she was gonna take care of the situation, at which time I proceeded to pay for my items (YES…this did not stop me from buying the cute tops) and exit the store. As I was walking out I could hear the manager over the intercom call someone to take over the dressing room. What happened after that….I will never know.
It wasn’t until I stepped out of the store did I really begin to process what had happened. Let me break it down….
Me= 1 African American Woman
Other customers in the dressing room= 2 Older Caucasian Women (who were together)
1 Young Caucasian Woman (by herself)
Lady working the dressing room= 1 Older Asian Woman
Employee at the cash register= 1 Caucasian Man
Manager- 1 Older African American Woman
Now…..as much as I was trying to avoid pointing the blame on race (I'm definitely not the one to say “this happened or that happened…because I’m black”), but it leaves one wonder why out of all 4 women in the dressing room, “I” was the one singled out. Am I looking too deep into this? Or was it yet another case of “shopping while black.” I’ve done everything in my power to be a law abiding citizen, but still yet I am accused of a crime that I DID NOT commit. What’s a black girl to do? How are people such as myself suppose to be able to function in a society where we are constantly having to worry about people misjudging us, having to constantly be on the defensive and make sure that we avoid ANYTHING that would somehow make us look more suspicious. I mean…our skin color is one automatic strike we have against us. And as evident in this incident…what you wear means SHIT. You can have a nice job, dress to the T, be a kind hearted individual, but yet in still that ever present race still supersedes it all.
But maybe it’s just me, maybe I just had a case of bad luck, maybe race had nothing to do with it.
Or maybe….maybe race had EVERTHING to do with it
Who knows….
11 comments:
Sadly to day, this is a all too familar scence. =(
Oooohhhh, I would have flipped at TJMAXX.... i would have lit into that woman like you wouldn't believe, and her ass would have been the one paying for my shirts!
That's unfortunate. You were a victim of circumstance. Everyone steals but a black person is the first to get blamed. Sounds like you handled the situation well.
I swear, people aint SHIT! I'm sorry but I totally understand why you might have come to that conclusion. I would have deduced the same story, 'cept my baggy clothes might have provided more of the maybe for me... I still woulda went with Race, given the circumstances.
You so aren't overeacting. It's a stress that other people just can't understand. We always have to be worried about shit like that. At the end of the day, no matter we do, people who have already decided about Black people don't want their minds changed. So when we walk down the street we are just another nigga...degress or not. I think it's time to listen to Mos Def's "Mr. Nigga."
Oh no she didn't......I'm proud of you for being able to keep your cool
Thanks. But I think I was only able to keep my cool because I was in a state of disbelief.
I am glad you froze in disbelief. as this could have only escalated had you not.
"Was it simply bad luck or did my race play a factor?"
(C)All of the above.
I hope that woman got fired. I work in retail and it is unacceptable to say something like that to someone, even if you SAW THEM clearly put an item into their purse in front of you! You are UNABLE to say/accuse ANYONE, under any circumstances. As for how you were dressed, the people that steal (at least at Vicky's) are people that are well-dressed, etc., and don't always fit the "profile" of a thief. Those are actually the best ones...
Regardless, it was completely unprofessional to even casually tell her coworker that someone stole in front of customers, much less to accuse you or even imply that you were the one that stole. It sounds like the manager probably handled it, though I suggest you write to corporate (you might get a nice gift certificate out of it). That way you can get some new tops ;-)
O hell naw, call Jesse Jackson!
I would have stayed and gotten everyone's information just in case. I'd definitely write a few letters to corporate about this incident because it is definitely unacceptable. Stores have been sued for this kind of thing.
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