Give me your
angry, frustrated,
and dysfunctional
registers
,( irk
Undressed from
the neck up
Becky Weindorf
#.'d~~~~ A~4~CF°f9
I have a great job. I really do. It's just that other
people really don't understand why I like it so much.
To clarify, I work part-time at the Wegmans on
Peach Street as a front-end coordinator. ft seems
like a long-winded title, but generally, it means that
I am a problem solver, nurse, friend, and (more times
you would think) the enemy. As one who has gone
from close-to-minimum-wage cashier to a position
on a management team, I might be able to defend
why I (literally) earn my wage.
First, as a problem solver, this embodies several
other subcategories. As a technician, I solve
problems with the cash registers whenever they
decide to go fubar (if you don't know what this
means, stop by the Beacon office and we'll gladly
tell you). Sometimes, it's as simple as a piece of
paper caught between the printer and the register
tape. Other times, half of the registers will
completely shut down, rendering them and half your
cashiers useless. Often times, the coordinator will
be the object of looks that could kill (although, if I
happen to be with another customer, the service desk
will be the recipient of that fate).
Other times, I fetch customers their forgotten
cheese or a bag of chips; I deal with customers
who have no way to pay for their groceries. I have
wrapped flowers. I've stepped in as maintenance
(have you ever seen $5.99 worth of pistachios
explode across a linoleum floor? I admit, I would
have laughed if I didn't have to clean it up). And,
most frequently, I solve the check-cashing policy
discrepancies. One customer told me I could take
her groceries and "shove it . ' because I was young
and refused to take her starter check and should
"know better" than to refuse ANYTHING from her.
This type of thing is an everyday occurrence during
my shifts.
As a nurse, one is bound to encounter plenty of
health problems. They sure don't stop during a
cashing shift; do you know how many different
objects can give you a severe paper cut (instead of
the paper bags)? I can think of five off the top of
my head; I've had them before as a cashier, tee).
So, I make lots of trips to the medicine cabinet,
usually for Band-Aids, sometimes to retrieve Pain-
Away for headaches (cashiers swear by that stuff),
once in a while for nail clippers (broken nails are
abundant). Tissue trips for the allergy sufferers and
emergency cashing for those who can't finish an
order have all been amended by some quick acting.
I'll admit it's not Clamorous, hut it comes with the
job.
As a friend, this is a nilc that is hard to juggle.
Being a cashier means being trapped behind a
register all day and being told when to take your
lunch break. It means asking, "Is plastic okay?"
for seven hours. It is not the best job in the world.
But as a coordinator, you have the freedom of
roaming the front end and having an agenda in front
of you; you have the responsibility and freedom of
keeping the front end running smoothly.
Often times, these cashiers get difficult customers
in their lines and don't know what to do. They need
to know that someone will be there to help out, and
a certain level of trust is needed between
coordinators and cashiers. Most of the cashiers are
15 to 19 years old; they have a job just for extra
money, not to deal with issues like denied credit
cards and angry customers. That's my
responsibility and, with my help, the cashiers know
that and are comfortable with me taking over any
situation
Finally, a small minority of customers may see
me as the "enemy." Maybe more fitting to this role
is "bearer of bad news." Several times in any given
night, we get denied credit cards, debit cards, checks,
EBT cards, you name it, and we have a code for it.
The denial code is a four-digit number that
represents anything from insufficient funds to
expired cards to not having check cashing privileges.
Coordinators are needed to relay this information
to customers, and woo boy! You'd think it was our
fault that they spent all their plastic cash! I have
been told by customers that I was actually "wrong"
and that they would never shop at Wegmans again
(another popular phrase is that "Well, Tops does
this for us, why can't y0u...). Well, if it's a bad
credit history, then they won't be shopping
anywhere for awhile.
So why, in all this mess that I have described as
my job, have I chosen to take this wildly
complicated job? I'm only a college student, that's
true. But who else gives their part-time employees
full medical insurance benefits? What employer
establishes a scholarship program for all employees
that keeps giving for four full years? What employer
is so flexible with your schedule that they let you
leave town for college and guarantee you a job over
the summer? What employer has a credit union
that has college loans and free checking with no
minimum balance and extended membership to
family, spouses, and children? I can't think of
anyone else. My job, no matter what fubar thing
happens to those registers, is worth keeping.
Enough said.
Weindorf's column appears every
three weeks.
The Donkey says...
Sept. 11 will probably go down as one of the most tragic days in Ameri
can 41 1 ,itit
et 4 0_ 1_
c history, rivaling that of Dec. 7, 1941. The perpetrators of this cow- j
4,.0 fu r
ardly sneak attack continue to represent a clear and present danger to the aL. N - 4
security of this nation. Though our hearts and prayers should and will
continue to go out to the victims and their families, this is a time that must
be used to evaluate the readiness and ability of the United States and our allies to
deal with and prevent future acts of terrorism.
As Prime Minister Tony Blair said, the attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon do not signify the start of a battle between America and terrorism, but a battle between the
free democratic world and terrorism. Most (if not all) of the media have assumed that these terrible
actions are the works of Islamic fundamentalist groups, such as the one lead by Osama bin Laden. I
think it is important to state that not all, or even most Muslims condone this kind of belligerent,
cowardly action against defenseless civilians. That said; it is disheartening to see video of people in
places such as the West Bank cheering at the news of the destruction and death in Washington and
New York. As every talking head said on Tuesday, an operation as sophisticated as this could only be
the work of a few organizations, perhaps with the support of one or more foreign states.
We should put partisan politics aside and rally around our president in order to combat this lethal
threat to our safety. This is not a time to squabble over trivial issues that are significantly less
pressing than this threat to our national security. That is not to say that domestic issues are not as
important as our national security, but just less pressing at this time. We need to present a united
front in support of our leaders who should take every practicable action to bring these barbarians to
justice. The attacks on Washington and New York constitute an act of war against the United States
and we should react accordingly.
The efforts undertaken in the past by America to retaliate against and deter terrorist attacks have
resulted in utter failure. We need to take decisive action to eliminate this terrorist threat once it is
decided who is responsible for this plot against democracy and freedom. President Bush made a bold
and commendable pronouncement when he said that not only will we punish those terrorists in
volved in plotting these attacks, but also any group or state that is harboring them. The United States
must be firm in its effort to apprehend those responsible while being aware of the international
pressures of the world we live in.
We must also reevaluate the security measures that are in place. There is a balance to be reached
between freedom and the measures needed in order to provide us with the security necessary to live
and prosper. While we must rally our support behind the leaders of this nation, we must also work
together to alleviate the pressures of this disaster. An email by Ken Miller said that there would be
disaster relief efforts by students, student organizations, and college offices, such as blood drives. It
is essential that we all participate in these efforts. The President said that these cowardly murderers
could not defeat America and the American spirit. Supporting disaster relief efforts in the coming
weeks will be one way that the students of Behrend can prove him right.
1 ebt: It's all thanks to that material we call 'plastic'
Last fall, I was on my way to the
Turnbull Barn when a pleasant, young
lady in her 20s summoned me over to her.
The stranger was sitting on the grass with
a backpack at her side and some papers
sprawled on the ground. She asked, "Hey,
can you help me out here?" Thinking that
perhaps she had a question about some
homework, I jokingly explained that I was
a history major and I wouldn't be able to
solve any of her engineering problems.
Before I knew it however, I was caught
hook, line and sinker by a credit card
solicitor. Before I knew it again, I was
filling out applications for three different
credit cards. What's the worst that could
The day the world will never forget
On Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, an event
occurred that not only crippled America,
but also sent a wave of ripples across the
world.
On that morning, terrorists seized four
commercial jets and sent them into
significant buildings, including the World
Trade Center, creating havoc and ruin.
At 10 a.m. Tuesday, I was in my first
class of the day, French 3, in the Academic
Building. Before class had started, a girl
was telling other students that a plane was
hijacked, and I heard nothing more. So I
did not assume the worst, for I did not know
about the severity of the situation.
Friday, September 21, 2001
happen, anyway? I was offered a free
miniature basketball hoop with those
w on this suction cups that don't really work
unless you use glue on them. Turns
Wynne out, I ended up receiving all three
cards in the mail within a couple
of weeks
Note to self: Stay away from
pretty girls who are sitting in the grass that
ask for help.
One year and thousands of dollars later,
I sit in debt wishing I hadn't succumbed
to that temptation. Don't get me wrong, I
have built a substantial amount of credit,
but the price of credit is expensive.
During the summer, I could afford to make
payments on everything and still have
some cash left over, but now that I am
back in school and have car and insurance
costs, finding enough cash to cover all of
these expenditures can be quite a stressful
task.
After juggling work and school for the
last two years, I think I have a somewhat
organized way of paying on my cards. I
also learned, however, that the same
friendly banks that send dozens of
advertisements to my house and offer
"membership privileges" also are the ones
After class was over, I visited Professor
Kerwin to discuss my features
you page for the Behrend Beacon,
and was told the dark truth of
't know? what had happened earlier that
day.
Benacci
and went to the Beacon
office to work on the
features section of the newspaper.
As I walked into the office I said hello to
the other Beacon staff member, and learned
that a few members of the Beacon staff
were frantic with worry, for loved ones of
theirs had either taken flights or were in
the New York City area.
As they explained their fears to me, I
grew nauseous, and began trembling,
feeling the urge to wretch.
I decided to leave the office and pass by
the Back Room, where I caught a quick
flash of the big-screen television, and the
chaos in New York City. Like a magnet, I
was drawn to the television, and watched
in revulsion as I saw fellow Americans
fleeing down the streets in terror, with
smoke billowing after them.
My knees grew weak, and I quickly
retrieved my backpack from the Beacon
office and passed by Bruno's, seeing
- Dave Beichner
Shaken, I traveled over to
the Reed Union Buildin ,
The Hot Debate of the Week'
Does violence beget violence?
To have something as horrendous as
what happened last week actually happen
in America means that something swift
and severe needs to be done. Americans
feel powerless against these attacks, and
we want to see the military avenging what
was tr* tom and peace
of m gOntry in the
world
.
or simply y .ilitary action,
we will be protecting all nations, not just
our own
Call the troops, call them all to fight
for us, but please remember that just as
we are fighting for those who were inno
cent and lost their lives in such a tragic
way, we must not do the same to the in
nocent of other nations. The terrorists
have shown us that they in no way care
about the "human collateral" that they
have caused. Let us show that we do.
Remember the faces of the victims, re
member the faces on the posters, remem
ber the faces of the highest leaders of the
free world, openly weeping in church ser
vices across the country. Remember all
of that, go and take arms, and remember
who is to blame for this. No one should
have to feel the way that we felt last week,
let us be better than those who made us
feel that way. Avenge us, but only against
those responsible. Please don't let the
human collateral number climb any more.
It's already too high.
Every week, two editors from the sluff will debate
encouraged to email .ctaNestions for the h
that stab me in the back. For example,
the first hank that I acquired a credit card
through is seeking to raise my interest
rate. Why? Because my balance comes
close to my amount of credit allotted. In
other words. it's almost "coaxed out. -
Keep in mind I have never made a late
payment to this hank, and I have always
written out a check for above the
minimum amount due on my monthly
statement. That bank is making good
money off me right now, so why would it
choose to raise my interest rate? Perhaps
it is seeking to dig deeper in my pocket.
Turns out that I won't he dealing with that
bank anymore.
Now I'm sure we've all listened to
lectures from investors and bankers on TV,
the ones that tell stories of students with
multi-thousand dollar debts and how to
avoid them. The reality of the situation,
however, is those people actually have
full-time jobs that pay at least decent
wages. Of course they're going to be able
to manage their money differently. I don't
know how many times I've told my
parents, "It must be nice to just have a full
time job."
Another story involves a payment that
hundreds of students intently watching the
television
As I walked farther down the hall, I
passed a classroom packed full of students
and faculty, praying in silence. I wanted to
go into the room and join them in prayer,
but I felt the urge to be alone, and once
alone, I began writing this editorial.
Where to start? I have so many questions
to ask, but they can all be summed up into
one, universal question: Why?
Why would anyone or anything want to
kill innocent human beings and destroy
lives?
The answer seems obvious...we were
targeted because we are Americans.
Americans. A group of terrorists hijacked
a few planes and crashed them into
populated areas simply because we are
Americans. For some reason, they hate our
country to death. They hate us so badly that
they want to kill us all. I ask this once again:
Why? I have no answer to this, and I am
unsure what America should do to these
evil, hate-filled terrorists. But I know what
America can do for America.
We need to all pull together and battle
all of this hate aimed toward us. What can
we use to battle hate? Easy...love. We need
to comfort those who need comforting, talk
to one another, and above all, help one
When terrorists launched an attack on our
country on Sept. I I, they wanted to throw
America into a state of chaos and panic. Our
lashing out with force in response is exactly
what those attackers would have wanted. We
are still uncertain at this time as to who is
responsible, but it is pretty clear that this was
the work of a netWirk of judiAduals, not a
countryiAt this time, most of the world stands
with us.io weattito, : Ate mtlimake enemies
in countries Who Itt enrretitiv friendly to us.
fan ds of ter-
Yl► go to war,
More enemies are the last thing we need
right now. America is a major world power.
and if we launch an attack on another nation,
other countries are sure to become involved
Technology has advanced to the point that
victory might not be possible if we came to a
third world war. But even if we were to bomb
Afghanistan and that was the end of it, we
would be left with the blood of thousands of
innocent people on our hands. We would he
guilty of causing the same atrocities overseas
that were wrought upon us on our own soil.
Obviously, an attack of last Tuesday's
magnitude necessitates some sort of
retaliation. But it should he retaliation deeply
grounded in justice and national security, not
revenge. How we choose to proceed will have
a drastic effect on our future. Individuals are
responsible for this attack and individuals ark
the ones against whom we should take action:
We should tread very carefully and strike only
when we have certainty on our side, curtai ling
further widespread suffering.
- K. Galley
a topic that is hat.. Stu eat ,faculty and spoil
topic. Send ideas to benrcoll2aPaol
I sent one of my creditors that got lost in
the mail. I did have the check numher and
payment amount written down on my
invoice stub, so I knew I had s ent thu
check. When I found out that new
statement said I had missed a payment. I
wrote a letter explaining what I thought
had happened. Do you think they offered
me a chance to send the payment azaiii
No way. That was a late-payment tee.
I think hanks could do better husiness
if they offered some benefits to collepe
students. Perhaps a "one payment late
deal for people who consistently pat' On
time, or a reduced interest rate for college
students who have above a 3.0 GPA or
something to that effect.
What's the moral to this tale? Be careful
of who lends you money, because no
matter how well you maintain your credit
card accounts, one mistake will leave a
permanent blemish. Your bank will shake
its finger at you, the same finger that
shook your hand when you decided to
accept a card from their bank that offers
"exclusive membership benefits."
Wynne's column appears every
three weeks
another
As I write this, I feel as if I am having:a
surreal nightmare. The last (and only) tinr
that I have ever felt this way was on a cold
February night, when I wrecked my car lag'
a tree. A feeling of misery and doom
enveloped
enveloped me that night, and I feel the santie
way once again.
In order to help dispel this nightmare..
(which will never he fully possible), we will
need to heal with one another.
In closing, I have one plea for all of you.
Please value life. It is the most fragili,
beautiful gift that we are blessed with.
Never take it for granted, for anything can
happen and life can he snatched away from
someone at any time. It's appalling whenia
tragic event occurs, hut one thing that
can learn is how blessed life is. and in this
we discover what truly matters.
When you part from your family and
close friends, always remember to hul2
them, and tell them how much you love
them, for, as we learned on Sept. I I, 2003.
anything can happen at any moment, and
you never know when you'll see someone
for the very last time.
Benacci's column appears every
three weeks.
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The Behrend Beacon
- E. Alcearlv