“Out Of Order”
I am an artist. I do not assume this photograph to be a work of art. I was in a store yesterday. And my daughter was in the dressing room. I decided to take a seat outside the dressing rooms on a platform. Couldn’t even be called a bench.
A dressing room with an “Out Of Order “ sign on it?? I thought about it as my daughter was changing her clothes.
Well, it could be, that if one were to open the door, disregarding the sign, that there was an elevator shaft on the other side of the door and one would plummet to one’s death. After all, what could be “Out of Order?” Could it be flickering flourescent lights reminiscent of a David Lynch movie? So minor. Had to be something more dangerous like a mine shaft. On the other side of that door.
Okay, we all know by now, that certain phrases are used willy nilly, like “One Moment Please”, “Have A Nice Day”, “No Problem”, “Fill Out The Form,” “Please Sign.” (As you are grappling with five things in your hands, stuffing your credit card back in your wallet, spilling your sunglasses to the floor.) Then again, when you don’t sign right away as you are picking up your shattered sunglasses, again it comes, “Please Sign!”
I wonder if this “Out Of Order” sign means the end of the world is on everyone’s mind? Or another phrase put up there with no thought whatsoever. After all, they put “Out Of Order” signs on bathroom stalls, don’t they?
Hollis Hildebrand-Mills 
Arrrgh! It’s the “no problem” that gets to me. Waiters/waitresses use it when they take your order these days. Well I’m so glad it’s not a problem. Surely that’s your JOB to serve me. Why would it possibly be a problem. Go get another job somewhere else if writing down a starter and a main is potentially causing you a PROBLEM.
I love the idea of a mine shaft behind that door. “Oh, I’ll just try on this Versace …. Whoops …”
Another one bites the dust.
Fun post, Hollis x
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Jenny you had me laughing for hours. A starter and a main!! Yes! Great post!
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“Out of Order” on a dressing room? I’d say they were “Out to Lunch!”
A phrase that irks me is “Can I help you?” It’s not so much the question, but when you tell them no, they continue to be on your heels all around the store. Of course, this only happens in stores where the salespeople work on commission. The other stores, you can never find anyone to help you.
Great post, Hollis!
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You’re funny, too, Jill! You are right. They trail you!
Today, I couldn’t get anyone in the doctor’s office to renew my prescription and I had called a million times, even the paging service after hours (regular hours:10-4) Finally I got a human being instead of a recording and the woman said “I left it on the doctor’s desk. If he does not get back to you, it is not my problem!” I said, “I will be right over!” She said “Oh no, that will make it worse!” The prescription was filled within a half an hour.
Yes, a mine shaft. For those people. Not a bad idea.
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Somebody pooped in it. I used to work retail.
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Well, that does go with bathroom signage :),Luanne!
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Exactly ;).
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my guess with “out of order” may be a way for customers not to use the room.. as there could be use as a “storage room”… LOL.. have seen that here in the retail shops where I’m from..
and also irks me when i see that the “reserved” signs are up on tables where there’s no one there even after 45mins.. Not sure why they do that. 😦
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Angela, that thought occurred to me too! Just a space to store stuff! My imagination makes it fun though? Sort of like that skit about the store Bed Bath and Beyond! The emphasis on the “Beyond!!!!!” ( another planet…..and Christopher Walken waiting on people in the “Beyond” section of the store! 🙂 Thanks for your comment.
Restaurant workers with those reserved signs irritate me too!!!! 🙂
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Maybe a shopper put it up to make sure they had an empty room to try on clothes!
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Could be, but the store wasn’t that crowded. Nice top my daughter got though. I will, of course, always remember it linked to that sign!
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!!!
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I am really impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your weblog.
Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Anyway keep up
the nice quality writing, itཿs rare to see a nice blog like
this one today..
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I absolutely love your blog and find most of your post’s to be exactly
what I’m looking for. Do you offer guest writers to write content available for you?
I wouldn’t mind creating a post or elaborating
on many of the subjects you write concerning here. Again, awesome blog!
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This post is really a nice one it assists new internet viewers, who are wishing for blogging.
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Okay, here is my belated answer (*guess) from a grandparent! The door knob won’t work, people get stuck in there!
I had to put a sign on my linen closet, since we often play hide and seek. It says, “Out of Order!” Seriously. Not making this up, Hollis. Do you know why? Because, once inside, the doorknob just won’t turn, it freaks them out and I had to have the apt. manager come and unbolt the door, because it was stuck, whatever they did in there, it was stuck! The child was screaming and crying, my apt. manager was not too happy with me, so now there is a ‘new’ addition age 3, who likes to spend the night and play flashlight hide n’ seek. I took her to the linen closet and firmly said, “Never, ever hide in here.” Then, I made a frowny face, put it at eye level, which has the sign that says the words, with a red marker, adding a circle with the diagonal line drawn across it.
I do love the idea of unwanted customers going down elevator shafts or bossy, stuck up people getting stuck in there, too! (Now you know~ I have a ‘mean’ side!!) smiles!
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Oh I know. But you are giving me another slant I never thought of. That it could be just a way of keeping people out. A generic way to stay: Stay away! (because of some sort of danger!) I know you, Robin!
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