Can we talk?

Public Manners

  It's a bad economy, so after being unemployed for a long time, I took a low-paying, part-time job as a "closer". I was told I'd be a cashier for about 30-45 minutes a night while the cashiers did breaks and got rid of merchandise left by customers who picked up too much while shopping then felt remorse when it was time to pay. Well, it turns out I'm just a cashier who takes off from the register about 30-45 minutes to do the things I was hired to do. But that's not my point, only an intro.

    I;m witnessing such rudeness that I'm shocked. A few days ago a woman stood way back from the check out area, while I was waiting on a customer and bagging his items. It's a noisy place with the usual loud music (businesses believe loud music keeps people happy and moving along looking at things to buy--it's a ploy). My concentration was on the customer at hand. He noticed first and when he suddenly looked to his left, I did, too. The woman was giving me the evil eye, and yelling, "I'm talking to you!" I was too startled to do anything but look at her.

    She screamed out across the other people, "Where are your book bags?" Normally, I don't know the answer to such things. I don't really shop at this store, I never do stock, and they move things constantly to accommodate seasonal, or special purchases. She lucked out because I did know the answer.

    "We're sold out," I replied firmly. Did this well-dressed woman say, "Thanks anyway" or, "I'm sorry I interrupted" to the man paying me? No, she looked like she would kill me. She was furious. She called her child and pushed her cart through. I was too busy to see if she had merchandise she wasn't going to pay for. (We have a lot of thieves, like most retailers.)

    I finished with the customer I had while she haughtily walked away. I was thinking that I should have said, "Oh, by the way, you were extremely rude just then." But that wouldn't be gracious of me, would it? So she'll just do it to someone else again.

      Why would anyone stand 15 feet away and yell over other people and consider herself "talking" to someone? Most of my customers would have walked closer, waited their turn, and said, "Excuse me." This woman was the rudest so far.

      Actually, most of what I witness would fall into the "blue collar comedy" routine. Most are not as offensive or obnoxious as this woman. It just proves you don't have to be a red neck or white trash or Southern to behave badly.