Black on black customer service

Why is it that SOME blacks (note, not all) don't know how to give decent customer service to their black customers? I really don't understand this. You would think we as a people would be nicer to each other. I mean we have a history of having "others" mistreat us, so why do some of us feel compelled to mistreat and disrespect our own?

Yesterday my mother and I were confronted with a somewhat unpleasant incident in the drive thru line at McDonald's (yeah, yeah, I know). We had placed our order and had moved up to pay for our food. When we go to the window, the cashier, a black woman probably in her 40s was taking the order of the person behind us. Apparently she was a bit upset with the other customer because the person wasn't clear about what they wanted. I think they ordered chocolate without explaining whether it was a chocolate milkshake, chip cookie, or whatever. Anyway, she turns to me and says, "How the hell am I supposed to know what kind of chocolate they want?!" Now I instantly didn't appreciate this or any of the other things that came out of her mouth about other customers she has had to deal with in the past. I mean, all I wanted to do was pay for my food and get out of there, not hear her complain about the other customer. I HATE when people working in retail complain TO customers ABOUT other customers. This is bad form and very rude. I immediately wondered whether she would have said this to a white customer, or is it because I am black, she felt that I wouldn't mind her talking to me like this. Anyway when she was finished I responded with "Right (very dry and sarcastically), now how much do I owe you?"

I was irritated, especially since she made her comments in front of mother. If you know my mother she is NOT the type of person who likes to hear people cursing in her presence. My mom's a Southern lady, a class act, and she expects others to act accordingly. She was not amused.

Anyway, I had put the incident behind me until Derrick told me about a run in he had with another black cashier this morning at the grocery store. First, the woman gave him attitude when he asked her if her register was open. Mind you, there was a long line at another register and she failed to mention to anyone that she was opening another register. A woman had walked up with her cart in front of Derrick and he was following behind her but it wasn't clear whether the cashier was going to accept them at her register. Instead of responding "yes" like a normal person, she instead made a motion that was like, "can't you see that I'm opening this register?!" I don't know how Derrick restrained himself from going off on her. He's never shy about getting into a confrontation, but somehow he managed it this time. Instead he calmly noted to the woman that she hadn't turned her register light on and proceeded to wait while she rang up the customer in front of him.

Derrick felt further slighted by the cashier when she asked the white customer in front of him and the white customer now behind him if they wanted bags, but didn't ask him. Now some might find this petty but I see this kind of thing happen all the time. Why do SOME black cashiers go out of their way to give good customer service to white customers but are ok with giving the "okeydoke" to black customers?! This upsets me to no end.

So this is a notice to ALL black customer service providers in the hopes that the ones who need it get the message. In the future when I come to your register and you see my black face, please note that I am not your homegirl who you can talk to any type of way. I'm your customer. Please acknowledge that and treat me with the respect I, as a paying customer, deserve.