Let's be clear at the start: the "mo' money" referenced in the post title is not my own money, but the amount of money I'm required to deal with each day, because this is a post about retail life.
Working retail took so much out of me. When you're employed in an open area like a store, you always--always--have to be "on." There's no hiding behind a closed office door. Even going to the food court on your lunch break can be strenuous, because you never know when a customer is going to walk by and ask you about their purchase. (This situation is ameliorated slightly by the fact that many eateries give mall employees a 10 percent discount on their orders.)
It's one thing not to be free to sigh or frown or even sneeze too loudly, but for me, what hurt the most was the knowledge that I could be spending that time either reading or writing, or at the very least doing something other than running a register. No disrespect to any of my former co-workers; I got along with all of them, and I remain grateful for that. It's just that retail isn't what I'm supposed to do with my life, and I have always known that. (Maybe not always. But at least since middle school.)
Some people thrive in a retail environment, or at least don't get bummed out by their position. I'm not that girl. And I'm so grateful for the stroke of good luck that allowed me to escape the mall, at least for a few months.
-Cate-
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