Muckity-Mucks

Just came from the grand opening of the new Bartell's drug store near my apartment. No, I didn't plan my day around it, just happened to be across the street in time for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Don't think I've ever been to a ribbon-cutting before. The new store is yet another far-too-beautiful drugstore, like the gigantic new Walgreens and Rite-Aids. But, with Bartell's, the aisles aren't 8 feet tall. They're about 5 feet. So, you can see over the tops and spy on the other customers and see who's buying Fleet Enema solution and Rogaine and Playtex tampons. And they can watch you buy the stuff, too.

The over-the-aisle view also afforded me the chance to watch all of the sport-coated and well-heeled Bartell's corporate managers as they nervously preened and watched, eagle-eyed for any underlings who weren't offering spectacular customer service to those first-in-the-door with cash in hand. I felt nervous around them, not knowing why? They weren't MY managers. I wasn't being graded on my customer service skills. They have no bearing on my personnel file at the pizza place. I even got up the nerve to tell the president that I liked his new store and was happy to have it in my neighborhood. But, I just felt CREEPY around them! The president patted me on the shoulder after I spoke to him. I felt as if I had been "dismissed". Why are all muckity-mucks the same? Maybe it was all of those fake smiles? The slight air of superiority they projected? Their eagerness to please? Except for the pizza place, most corporate environments I have worked in project the same kind of energy.

Muckity-mucks, I guess. They can sniff out one of their own and they travel in packs, hiring like-minded folks to replace them when they retire. This is the American Dream, isn't it?