Customers. Part 2

I don't know if I would do this job if it weren't for some of my customers.

I didn't know it as a kid but I am apparently a 'people' person. I love to chat with them, impart some of my 'wisdom' or 'knowledge'. I love hearing what they have to say and I really enjoy being a ham. (appropriate for a grocery store)

I discovered that I like ' performing' when I was the first female chairman of a Boy Scout Committee and found that as such I had to make the speech at the Father and Son dinner. I know you won't believe this, but as a kid I was painfully shy. I still had some trouble speaking up to others and the Committee meetings helped me gain confidence. But that dinner!!

For days before I was nervous and scared and unsure of what to say or do. The night came and I opened with some joke about picturing people in their underwear in order to not feel nervous. I then said that "I did that before I left and decided to come show up anyway." Well, I got a laugh and that was it. I was in love with being the centre of attention.

Which leads me to kibbutzing with customers. For those few minutes I have a captive audience.
I like to think I can judge people pretty well and know just how far I can push the envelope. Or when to hold back and listen.

They are wonderful people that come to our store. There is this lovely gentleman, must be in his late 70's early 80's. He has the kindest face. I once asked him if he was a grandpa. He asked me why and I told him that he had the kindest face and looked like he would be a terrific grandpa to have. He will wait in line to come through my register. He always buys a few items for the food bank and always a case of water for the people that, as he says, "work with him" at his house. I don't know the complete story but he looks after his wife at home.
I wish you could meet this gentleman. He is so ...... lovely. I must ask him his name. Out of respect I want to be able to greet him properly.

I have another gentleman that came in one evening a few months back and I could tell something was wrong. I asked if he was okay and he said he had been feeling a little depressed lately. I was concerned as I suffer from depression and will be on medication the rest of my life. I talked to him a little and asked if there was anything I could do. I tried to advise him to make sure that he kept an eye on his thoughts and feelings and to go to the doctor about it if he felt worse.

Then I didn't see him for almost three weeks. The thing is, its hard to ask the other cashiers if they had seen him as he is an everyday kind of person. I was worried and told him that when I next saw him. He was in much better spirits and was so touched that I had been wondering about him. He doesn't stand out from the crowd. He is kind of handsome and has a real twinkle in his eyes. He is about 6 feet tall and average build. So how to you differentiate him from the other customers when you want to ask after him?

Same as most of our customers. They are all pretty normal, both in appearance and mannerisms. Sure we have the 'problem customers' that get written about most often here. They are the ones that stand out, whether because of attitude, appearance or inability to count. But most of them are just wonderful. Come to think of it, for the most part it is the older (over 40) ones that are pleasant to deal with. There are some younger ones that aren't bad, but they do seem to have a certain lack of courtesy? Politeness? Tolerance?



Had a lady 2 registers over yesterday being very loud and nasty to her 10(?) year old daughter. If the kid is giving you problems then deal with it. BUT the venom that spewed forth and the vehemence with which it was spoken made me feel very bad for the girl. I believe in discipline or basically not taking crap from anyone, but I DO NOT think that ANYTHING like mistakes etc, should be pointed out in front of others. Whether they be strangers, family, friend or foe. It is cruel and unkind and extremely embarrassing and humiliating to the person getting beaked off at. Plus it makes you look like a piece of s---!

That's it for now.