Never Mind My Life, Mr. Grumbles
Debbie Teashon
I was at one of my favorite watering holes ordering my usual latte. The barista was telling me how she was swamped the day before, and at 5 minutes after closing time someone came in and wanted to order a sandwich. She told him, “Sorry, we are closed.”
“Well, all the sandwich makings are still out.”
“I know, and I am trying to get them put away,” she explained. The place was still packed with people who were slowly filtering out the door.
“Well, I'm never coming back here again!” he retorted.
What an inconsiderate person, was my thought. Here’s a hardworking young woman, paying her own way through college, needing to get home after cleaning up, in order to do her homework.
It reminded me of the time I was at a garden nursery during the busy season. Not knowing what time it was, I was still shopping for plants. I watched the staff turn some people away, as they had closed 20 minutes before. One belligerent woman started yelling at the employee and pointing at those of us inside. I collected my items and asked if there was still time to pay. They answered, “Yes there is still time." I apologized for taking so long as I had lost track of time, paid for my plants, and left.
I know that in the retail business, workers sometimes have to put up with too many ungracious customers; yet they still smile and patiently handle people politely. As a customer, shouldn’t we also be courteous to them? We aren’t always in the right. What makes us so special that we feel we can walk into an establishment after closing and expect service, keeping people after working hours? Many times, they still need to count their tills, clean up, and have the place ready for the next business day. They are probably tired, hungry, or need to pick up their children from daycare, and all of them have lives outside of work.
It perturbs me when people act as if they are entitled, demanding another person work past normal hours, or that a business stay open later than normal, just because they don’t have the courtesy to arrive before closing time. I say if someone wants such an entitlement, they should pay the employee overtime wages to stay open later and cater to their needs after hours. I am sure they would magically find the time to arrive well ahead of closing time, when it costs them to arrive after closing.
If I could, I would give all employees a dozen roses for working hard and often for little money, while putting up with the “grumblies” of the world.
The funny South Park character was made at Planearium.de presents.
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton
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