Black Friday has a lot to answer for. Stampedes, injuries, middle-American ladies macing each other over deeply discounted robot cat toys, and the enduring trauma of thousands upon thousands of retail workers.
But at least it’s thrown up something good this year: the incredible tale of a guy called Jeff, who walked into a Target in Austin, Texas dressed, by accident, in a red shirt and khakis, and was promptly put to work.
(A disclaimer: we are fully aware that there’s a more than zero probability that Jeff’s story is made up. We do not care. It is a good yarn, truth-based or otherwise, and we salute his storytelling either way.)
According to Jeff, he’s usually employed at Starbucks a full 180 miles away from his accidental day as a Target employee. That did not stop a manager pouncing on him as soon as he entered, clearly desperate for the extra set of hands.
TARGET PUT MY ASS TO WORK SMH I JUST WALKED IN WITH A RED SWEATER pic.twitter.com/L7EqDV2gAb
— Je (@ItsJeffLe) November 24, 2017
a customer also got mad at me because i told her that fallout 5 doesn’t exist. smh at the shit retail goes through 🤦🏽♂️
— Je (@ItsJeffLe) November 24, 2017
update: currently pushing carts in the parking lot cause I don’t know what I’m doing pic.twitter.com/W5ID5QAVE5
— Je (@ItsJeffLe) November 24, 2017
back inside scanning shit. people have not suspected a peep yet pic.twitter.com/KDZ84CuWTV
— Je (@ItsJeffLe) November 24, 2017
lady just asked me where the baby aisle is. 200% sure i lied
— Je (@ItsJeffLe) November 24, 2017
After a busy couple of hours moonlighting as a willing but unhelpful member of staff, Jeff managed to escape with the prize he’d initially sought: a copy of NBA2k18.
i got what initially went to target for 🙏🏽 so that’s pretty wicked pic.twitter.com/oeVxCSqHJ9
— Je (@ItsJeffLe) November 24, 2017
And he also emerged with a strong sense of solidarity for his fellow (actual) Target workers.
Somehow got through my shift today thanks for understanding how rough the target life is my dude
— mayumi ♡ (@lewdgirIfriend) November 24, 2017
While several people have poked holes in Jeff’s story, many others have responded extremely positively, because there’s nothing like being thrown a life-preserver of empathy on the worst day of the year to be working retail.
Once my mom went into target with a red v neck and they asked her for her employee number at check out. I’m p sure they have no idea who actually works there
— Jaan (inactive) (@MintJaan) November 24, 2017
Yet I go to work every day wearing a big ass red sign hanging from a red lanyard, and a name tag, and customers still walk up to me asking “do you work here?”. 😒
— Lia (@QuittingPhoenix) November 24, 2017
https://twitter.com/erik_low_flow/status/934084659692146688
https://twitter.com/bg68ec/status/934427762361798657
Also, Jeff is low-key a mental health advocacy hero?
https://twitter.com/startkilling/status/933951655078371328
Chill enough to shrug and get to work for a couple hours when mistaken for an employee while on vacation; woke enough to use his newfound Twitter fame for the greater good – it’s official: we love Jeff from Target.
