Friday, March 4, 2011

Some people are just ornery for the sake of it

I was working one day about a week and a half ago and this man comes up and asks if he could use one of my Purell sheets (disinfectant wash cloths). I had just finished serving a customer and I let him use one. He then asks if I'm going to use one. I said "no" and he asked me why not. I told him I had just washed my hands a few minutes ago. He said "but you touched her money". I told him that it was part of my job.

Then a young man comes and stands behind him. So he tells the kid that the next register is open, why doesn't he go there.

The young man reluctantly moved. He looked at how much stuff there was left to go (maybe three articles) and it was obvious he felt like he was being chased away. I guess the rudeness made him wonder. He had just come to my register because there was someone there and the next one had a light on, but the cashier was elsewhere at the time. (We are supposed to do baskets and fix the shelves and tidy up a little if we have spare time)

Anyway Mr. Clean starts to mumble about people who can't think and people who don't wash their hands.

I said "Just a minute. I find it insulting for you to tell me I don't wash!"
He backtracks, or at least tries to and says "Oh. I didn't mean you."

I said " well, how am I supposed to take it when you're standing in my line saying things like that."

Then he starts to tell me how the hospitals are the worst places, and you watch, you people will all have to wear gloves one day, and doctors should know better. Then he tries to pull a co-worker into it, but she explains to him that all the products on the shelf have been touched by countless people but we do the best we can. We use our wipes after handling meat and vegetables or anything that appears to be dirty.

He didn't like that. He was all miserable looking as I'm packing his bags. I did notice that he didn't bring his own bags, but was happy to take the plastic ones that have been hanging there all morning. I went to hand him the slip and he said "I don't want that." I sort of heard him but the hands were still going for the bag to put the slip in it. He very crossly says "I told you I don't want that." I apologize, throw it out and he leaves.

I determine that I no longer wish to serve him and am hoping to refuse to the next time he's in.

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