I could’ve sworn I saw Carrie Underwood in Target today. You know how it is when you think you recognize someone but you don’t want to be stupid enough to call their name, only to realize it isn’t them when they don’t even turn around. Or worse yet, when they turn around and you realize it isn’t who you thought it was. Now, I’ve never met Miss Underwood before, so it was definitely possible I had made a mistake, but I wasn’t willing to give up on the dream just then. So I followed her. And I know what you’re thinking, but it wasn’t like that at all. I just didn’t want to embarrass either of us when I inevitably yelled, “Carrie!” as if we were old friends. But it wasn’t her, I found out when I caught up with her cart. I was glad I didn’t yell out or ask for her autograph. Close call. I did say hi, though, because I say hi to everyone who walks into my domain, and she smiled at me, so it wasn’t all bad.
If you didn’t know, I work at Target, where we all wear red & khaki and hopefully smiles as well. I have stories I could tell you every single day, tales from work that you wouldn’t believe actually happened. Today was no different. The following are true quotes from guests who I talked to while they were shopping in the store:
“Is there a bathroom in every department?”
“Do you guys carry shrimp rolls, you know, like at a restaurant?”
“What happened to all the pools?”
“Do you still have real books here?”
“When did you start having vegetables?”
“Are there small condoms here?”
I swear I just stood there for a full minute trying to formulate a response to that last question. The answer to it, by the way, is that we do carry them, but I’ve never seen anyone purchase them, whether or not they actually needed them. Maybe it’s an image thing. They should start calling them medium, then make the mediums large, and shift the extra large to JUMBO or something. Oh, and there isn’t a bathroom in every department, we do carry shrimp rolls, but frozen, not like at restaurants, the pools are long gone, we still carry real books, and the vegetables arrived in March of last year. Way to shop at Target more than once a year, people.
And I have the most interesting conversations when I’m at the cash register too, as we often come up for backup cashier calls when needed. People telling me how an $80 dollar armoire was on the clearance endcap for 75% off (not true) so they should get it for 75% off. Or someone bringing up a chipped plate and wanting to buy it really cheap (I needed to actually salvage it). My favorite one that came through today was one of the coupon ladies who tried to convince me that her 10 expired coupons weren’t really expired. Apparently the companies that made the coupons made a mistake when they put the dates on them. I could look it up online if I didn’t believe them (I didn’t look it up. I just didn’t honor their coupons).
But that near-brush with Carrie Underwood, I think I handled that one very well, while always trying to keep it brand.
Sam
Sam's Online Journal 
First of all, we have all had the “mistaken for celebrity” experience where we were totally embarrassed. Usually, for me, I don’t catch on until they turn and smile and I see the big silver tooth.
Secondly, if you only shop Target once a year, make it on Black Friday, cause I never go anywhere near there on that day. Also, it means they won’t be in my way on those days I do go to Target.
Finally, the only reason that young woman smiled at you was because, in your red polo and khaki pants, she probably thought you were tiger! I’d love to read her blog tonight, how she went to Target and mistook a clerk for a golf celebrity.
No comment on the embarressing coupon incident.
Yeah, you handled everything well, but so did Carrie!
I could have cleared it all up for her if she had only asked. You see, Tiger Woods was at that very moment on the golf course. But it wouldn’t have been the first time I would have been mistaken for the greatest golfer of my generation. I don’t mind. I’ve even signed a few TW’s in my life. 🙂
Oh, and you can bet your booties I’ll be at Target on Black Friday. And no, not because I’m Black. I knew you were going to ask.
Ha! Sometimes it’s good just to have a job.