My subject is: WWYD? You are in the grocery line and the customer in front of you is throwing a fit. The soda he wants is no longer on sale and he INSISTS on speaking with a manager. The man is clearly over 65. What would you do? Anything? Nothing? Why?
It was submitted by: Dawn of Cognitive Script.
The more I thought about this prompt, the more I realized something interesting. The answer that was forming in my mind, answers actually, were more a reflection of me, of who I've been and who I am, than of the hissy fit of a grown man acting like a juvenile. A progression of perspectives, really.
Jumping into the Wayback (WABAC) machine (yes, I know I just aged myself) to when I was a child, chances are I wouldn't have batted an eye. I mean, that candy display strategically placed in the checkout aisle to torture parents would be doing its job, demanding my full attention. That and figuring out all the ways I might possibly convince my mom that I needed, NEEDED a candy bar. If she bought me a candy bar, I'd whine, she wouldn't have to make me a treat when we got home. Well, convince her or wear her down. Either way, that guy wouldn't have been a blip on my radar.
Valentine Bark
As a teenager I'm going to have to admit that my response would have been quite different. I've never been known for my patience and back then, well, I did say I was a teenager then, right? Passive aggressive would have been a good way to describe what I would have done. I'm sure I would have rolled my eyes a few times, followed by shuffling from one foot to the other. If he didn't get the hint by then I'm guessing the next step would be loud sighs, followed by comments (under my breath, of course) like "jeez buddy, grow up" and "if it'll take 12 cents to get you to move along, I'll give it to you".
As a young mom I would have shown patience. I wouldn't have felt it, knowing that the longer I stood in line the closer I'd get to a kid having a temper tantrum, or having to pee, or demanding (at the top of his lungs) one of those damn check out line candy bars, but I would have shown it. Being a role model to my boys in terms of showing respect to our elders would have taken precedence over saying or doing anything. Dammit. Having kids is stifling.
It's possible that when my kids were teens I actually was that guy. No, I don't blame the store when something isn't on sale any more, but I do watch my items as they're scanned and often have had to argue a price that didn't ring up correctly. At times I've even resorted to asking for a manager. And then I've had to spend the rest of the day apologizing to my embarrassed-to-death sons while begging them to consider being willing to be seen with me in public again at some point in this lifetime.
I'm not a child any more. Nor do I have kids shopping with me so I have no one to consider. If this were to happen now I would do three things. First, I'd scope out the situation in the other open checkout lines. If they were all long, I'd wait a few minutes to see if the situation would resolve quickly. If not, I'd probably leave my cart and walk out the door. Life is short, I'm not spending it in line at the grocery store.
Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts. Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:
Never Ever Give Up Hope
Cognitive Script
The Lieber Family Blog
The Bergham Chronicles
Southern Belle Charm
The Blogging 911
My Brand of Crazy
Climaxed
Part-Time Working Hockey Mom
Cognitive Script
The Lieber Family Blog
The Bergham Chronicles
Southern Belle Charm
The Blogging 911
My Brand of Crazy
Climaxed
Part-Time Working Hockey Mom
Valentine Bark
18 oz white chocolate chips
1/3 cup seedless strawberry jam
2 tsp Chambord (can substitute water)
7 Keebler Strawberry Cheesecake Fudge Stripe Cookies
1 oz vanilla bark
Directions:
*Whisk together the strawberry jam and Chambord. Set aside.
*Coarsely chop or crush the cookies to large crumbs. Set aside.
*Line a cookie sheet (with edges) with parchment paper.
*Melt the white chocolate chips in microwave for 45 seconds. Stir. Continue at 15 second intervals until they are completely smooth. Pour into the cookie sheet and spread evenly.
*Drizzle the jam over the white chocolate. Use the tip of a knife or toothpick to swirl the jam into the white chocolate. Top with the cookie crumbs and press down gently.
*Melt the vanilla bark in the microwave for about 40 seconds or until completely smooth. Drizzle over the cookie crumbs.
*Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and break into pieces.
I think I'm a lot more patient than I was in my 20's or 30's, but also take advantage of the self checkout lines lol.
ReplyDeleteI do the self check out lines too, but only when I have a few things, never when I have a whole cart full of a week's groceries. That would truly take me forever.
DeleteI would do nothing (although I would switch lines if possible.) self checkouts and I don’t always work well but it still would be better than waiting. And here, a silent prayer of thanks that I don’t work in retail. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI hear ya, I don't do well with switching lines but in this situation I think waiting longer would be preferable to watching a grown man have a hissy fit.
DeleteI think I would have pulled out a bag of popcorn, sat on my cart and watched the drama unfold.
ReplyDeleteLOL, reality TV at its best!
DeleteI'd whip out my phone and make a sarcastic post on Facebook, read some emails and if it still wasn't resolved, I might roll my eyes, but if my cart was already unloaded, I'd just stand there, sharing s sad smile with the cashier........I've learned patience the last couple of years.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the real issue is whether you've already emptied your cart. If so, you're stuck no matter what you want to do.
DeleteWhat would I do, nothing I would just stand there and watch and listen and wait because you never know the tantrum thrower could be dangerous and I an not brave in any way shape or form not even in my dreams
ReplyDeleteThat's so true. These days you have to be really careful with people who can't control themselves in public.
DeleteI used to have the patience of a saint, but the older I get, and depending on my mood, I've learned I'm not as patient. It seriously all depends. I can wait endlessly at a stop light, but if I'm in line behind a woman with whiny kids, oh man, I quickly find another line. I want to tell her how to raise them and on and on. An elderly person, having worked in home health care, sometimes they truly can't help it and I'm compassionate. Love how you put it all into perspective based on your life.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was actually pretty interesting to look at this fictional scenario through the lens of my own progression through the years.
DeleteI like how you approached this! How we change through the years! I just ran into a woman in the bread aisle who couldn't find the one loaf that was on sale for $1.79.
ReplyDeleteIt was an interesting perspective, looking at it through my own eyes over the years.
DeleteAs a Mom you'd try and stay calm and patient in order to be a role model for your kids. What a about the gentleman, though? What kind of role model is he to his fellow shoppers, especially the young ones?
ReplyDeleteA while ago two guys were cheating to get into a coin operated bathroom for free, first by waving their jackets over the sensor, and if that didn't work, by using my son's exiting and therefore the door opening, and I yelled at them they were assholes, and they should set an example and pay for a service like everybody else. Of course cursing wasn't my best Mom moment, and certainly not a good example either.
Ha ha. Well, you tried.
DeleteInteresting scenario and interesting comments. I know exactly what I would do because it is very close to a situation I was in last week. I leaned over to the cashier and said "Put his stuff on my tab." The guy was shocked, said "thank you" and left. The cashier then told me that she knows this man has had a really bad time lately as his wife had just died. You never know why people respond the way they do and I always try to remember that.
ReplyDeleteWonderful story Carol, it's true that we never know what's going on in someone's life.
Delete