Something concerns me.
I'm afraid all intelligent (and/or) witty conversationalists must have all become bloggers and are presently holed-up in their houses somewhere.
I spent 12 hours out of my home today, traveling to London and back and found people as entertaining as a pile of rocks.
Don't think I'm being hard on the Brits-- Nearly all of those people were on the American base.
How hard is it to smile at someone?
Or hey, here's a novel idea, LOOK AT THE PERSON WHOSE THINGS YOU ARE RINGING UP.
Admittedly, I'm usually too friendly. I'm the lady you run from in the grocery store when she starts giving you tips on where the better deal is. I don't want to be your best friend, I will not follow you home. You can smile, tell me the weather looks nice and leave.
However, today after the day of dullness I was feeling a little snippy and tired of trying to bond with strangers. The commissary baggers that love to throw tomatoes, grapes, eggs and bread at the bottom of a bag of canned goods?
Well, because of my irritable disposition, there's one bagger that will think before he ever again bounces the cart off a curb like he's four-wheeling.
"Oi! I have breakable jars in there!"
"Oh, you do?"
"Well yes-- you should know, you packed them!"
He spent the next five minutes throwing bag on top of breakable bag into the back of my car while apologizing and admitting he shouldn't have taken the curb that way.
I don't know why I'm complaining, at least he talked to me.
A smile from a stranger and a kind greeting can really make a difference for me in how my day goes sometimes. It does seem sometimes that being friendly just for the sake of it is a lost art. Sorry to hear you had a day full of such stuff and rudeness. I know it won't make up for the day you had, but I'm sending you a cyber hug and smile from here.
ReplyDeleteI bet Ky was willing to talk to you when you got home at least. ;)
Happy Sunday to you!
I guess I shop at the same store all the time, and am thankful the clerks, for the most part are friendly. I do have to remind them not to put the bananas on cans!
ReplyDeleteI'm sending you a big smile! :)
Oh ick. And it was grey out to boot? It was here. Sounds like you need some girlfriend time out of the house, woman.
ReplyDeleteI rarely shop in the supermarket 'cos I order mine on line, and the delivery guys are FANTASTIC!! Honestly, I urge you to switch to it if you can. Everything is bagged for ease to unload, chilled goods in one, freezer goods in the other, canned goods all together. The guys carry everything right into my kitchen for me, and always have a cheery word. If they spot so much as a bruised banana, they give me an unasked for full credit, too! Seriously, I'd NEVER go back to fighting through the aisles again..!
ReplyDeleteI've had days like that when it seems like everyone is a total grump. No matter how many people I bless with my smile, I seldom ever get smiles in return. It doesn't hurt to smile, really. Well, maybe if it's been a while it might. Life is supposed to be fun, right?
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I've gotten to be a grump about my groceries getting smashed & the baggers always act so indignant if I try to do it myself, the right way.
That kind of day is enough to put a damper on your mood. I hope tomorrow is a much better one. :)
ReplyDeleteI have to say I have been rude to a few baggers esp after they have bagged like a moron. They are the one thing I dread other than PB going crazy at the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteI swear some days, it's like invasion of the body snatchers around here. I'll walk through a store, and nobody looks at you or smiles. THey look like they're dead already, eyes are just black pits. It's sad, what the world is coming to. Nobody really seems to care for anyone but themselves.
ReplyDeleteOur local grocery stores hire only special needs baggers. At times I've been annoyed because they put my bread under potatoes or they seemed angry to be there, and in all these years, not one has ever spoken to me. Now I wonder if I would really do the job better. Shoot, I'd probably be in trouble because I'd never stop talking and when I bag my own groceries, I squish the bread every time.
ReplyDeleteOh don't EVEN get me started on the baggers at the grocery. SERIOUSLY. DON'T. GET. ME. STARTED.
ReplyDeleteGRRRRR.
I think it must be the boredom of the job! I find people are quite unfriendly until something happens like a bad snow storm.... an accident.... some big problem that involves us all and then everyone seems to chat!
ReplyDeleteNuts in May
I hear you. I never understand why it's so hard to smile or acknowledge someone's existence for a second. I have the same issue at times at my grocery store.
ReplyDeleteI read this post yesterday and could not decide how to comment. Today I worked four hours in a very cold shop and probably did not smile once. Sometimes it is very difficult for customers to understand what it is like to work in such conditions.
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And yes I was wearing my vest and two pairs of socks!
Sort of makes you wonder if you missed a memo......"NO SMILING TODAY!"
ReplyDeleteDon't get me started on baggers......
I must have a message written on my forehead- I get the opposite effect - people gabble at me wherever I go! A friendly chat certainly brightens up the dullest day, wherever you are. :)
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the year I spent in Europe after high school. NO one smiled or even made eye contact if they didn't know you, they hardly EVER made small talk, even if they did know you..Argh! I feel your pain!
ReplyDeleteI don't get people. When I ride my bike, people don't even acknowledge it when I say "hello" most of the time. A slight nod, a look in the eye... anything would do. I'm NOT the lady to chase them down. I'm NOT friendly, but I can give a polite greeting.
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