Recently, my wonderful wife decided to pursue her passion for fashion as a career. She began searching for opportunities in retail, believing it to be the ideal fit for her interests.
One afternoon, she came home visibly upset and shared what had happened earlier in the day. Emma explained that she had visited the shopping center that morning, hoping to explore potential job openings.
While strolling through the mall, she spotted a “Now Hiring” sign in the window of a popular lingerie store, which immediately caught her attention. Excited at the possibility, she decided to investigate further.
She recounted how her initial excitement quickly turned to disappointment when she approached the sales assistant to inquire about the job.
The woman barely acknowledged her, not even glancing up until Emma was directly in front of her. Despite feeling a bit disheartened by the cold reception, Emma mustered her enthusiasm and asked about the application process. But instead of receiving a polite response, the assistant shot her a nasty look and replied with a cruel remark.
When Emma returned home, she was in tears, utterly heartbroken by the encounter. I had never seen her so devastated before, and it crushed me to see her in such pain.
She recounted how her initial excitement quickly turned to disappointment when she approached the sales assistant to inquire about the job.
The woman barely acknowledged her, not even glancing up until Emma was directly in front of her. Despite feeling a bit disheartened by the cold reception, Emma mustered her enthusiasm and asked about the application process. But instead of receiving a polite response, the assistant shot her a nasty look and replied with a cruel remark.
When Emma returned home, she was in tears, utterly heartbroken by the encounter. I had never seen her so devastated before, and it crushed me to see her in such pain.
Her tone was completely different now—polite, cheerful, and eager to help. I played along, maintaining the facade.
“That’s great to hear,” I said, holding the delicate lace set as if seriously considering it. “But tell me, do you think my wife would feel confident wearing this?”
“Absolutely,” she said with a bright smile. “It’s flattering on everyone. She’ll feel amazing in it!”
I nodded thoughtfully, pretending to weigh my options. “You seem very knowledgeable. Do you enjoy working here?”
She perked up at the question. “Oh yes! It’s a great place, and I love helping customers find the perfect gift.”
I let the silence hang for a moment before casually adding, “That’s interesting, because my wife came in earlier to ask about a job here—and you weren’t so helpful to her.”
Her face immediately dropped, the cheerful demeanor fading in an instant. She stammered, “Oh… your wife? I didn’t realize…”
“Exactly,” I said firmly. “You didn’t realize. Maybe think about how you treat everyone who walks through that door, not just someone you think will make a big purchase.”
Without waiting for her response, I handed the lingerie back, turned, and walked out of the store, satisfied that my point had been made.
I smiled politely, continuing to play along. “That makes sense. It must be nice working here, surrounded by all these beautiful things.”
She beamed, clearly enjoying the attention. “Oh, absolutely. We have to maintain a certain image for the brand, you know.”
I nodded thoughtfully. “That’s interesting. You know, my wife actually came by earlier today to inquire about a job here.”
Her smile faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. “Oh, really? Well, like I said, we’re pretty selective.”
I kept my tone light but firm. “Yes, I gathered that. She mentioned the person she spoke with wasn’t very… welcoming. It’s unfortunate because my wife is incredibly passionate about fashion and would have been a wonderful addition to your team.”
Her face turned a little pale, and she shifted uncomfortably. “Oh, um… maybe I was having a busy moment earlier. I didn’t mean to come across that way.”
I raised an eyebrow but kept my composure. “Busy or not, a little kindness goes a long way. She left here feeling dismissed and discouraged. That’s not the impression a store like this should give, don’t you think?”
Her nervous smile returned. “You’re right. I’ll be more mindful in the future.”
I handed her the items she had shown me and said, “Thank you for your help, but I think I’ll shop elsewhere. Have a good day.”
As I walked out of the store, I felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that I had stood up for my wife while also leaving her a lesson in kindness.
I held Emma tighter, feeling her pain and my own anger boil inside me. “She doesn’t know you, Emma,” I said gently but firmly. “She doesn’t know how smart, kind, and amazing you are. Her words say more about her than they ever could about you.”
Emma looked up at me, her eyes red and teary. “But it still hurts so much,” she whispered. “I just wanted a chance to show what I could do.”
I cupped her face in my hands, brushing away her tears with my thumbs. “I know it does, love, and I hate that this happened to you. But don’t let her cruelty dim your light. You’re incredible, and anyone would be lucky to have you on their team.”
Inside, my frustration was bubbling over. How dare someone make my wife feel so small? “Emma,” I said, my voice steady now, “I’m going to take care of this. No one talks to you like that and gets away with it.”
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
I kissed her forehead. “You’ll see. But trust me, no one messes with my wife and comes out of it unscathed.”