"My Life with R. H. Macy"
from The Lottery and Other Stories, by Shirley Jackson
Hm. Reminds me of a story(/reminiscence) in that other Jackson collection I read (Just an Ordinary Day, I think), in which she recounts an aggravating series of interactions with a large store after purchasing a tape recorder. Ah, found it! "My Recollections of S.B. Fairchild", in case you're interested. (And in looking up that one, I'm reminded of another story set in a department store-- "Mrs. Melville Makes a Purchase".) ...All this to say, it seems that Jackson had some issues with department stores. (I don't particularly like shopping, myself, because of all the other people-- though I suppose I shouldn't admit it publicly. I want to get in, find what I want, and get out again-- unless I'm shopping for something "fun".)
We're supposed to sympathize with the narrator, correct? She's put through the wringer during "training" and is basically stripped of her identity (including her name) by the Evil Corporate Culture of Macy's. Honestly, though, I didn't like the girl. She seemed entirely incompetent and sneaky (taking extra lunch breaks, copying work instead of learning to do it herself, pocketing a customer's cash and then throwing out the order).
And... that's all I have to say about that. ;o)
