Blogging topics sometimes become challenges in themselves. What to write about? Yesterday's brief solo outing presented me with a topic relating to the human persona.
Took along two big boxes of stuff to be donated to a local thrift store. Boyfriend had loaded them in the car, and I knew unloading them would be beyond my ability. So, I parked out back the thrift store, walked inside, and politely asked a young man if he could please unload the boxes for me. His verbal response was barely an audible "Yah." There are times facial expressions speak louder than words. This was one of those times. I opened the door for the young man, he carried the boxes in the store, and I politely said, "Thank you," for which I received another barely audible "Yah."
Then I went on to buy Cuddy a bag of Science Diet dog food. Not knowing which aisle to go to, a nice young guy pointed out the aisle and told me he'd have someone there to help me. Sure enough, I turned to the aisle and there stood a young guy, he said nothing but stared at me. I asked if he was the young man who could help me with a large bag of dog food, for which I received another barely audible, "Yah." I found the food that Cuddy eats, pointing it out to him. Then he asked me, "Do you want help with it?" He carried it to the front, stood by me as I paid with a credit card, then carried it to the car which was parked directly in front of the door. I thanked him politely, and received another barely audible "Yah" with matching facial expression to the other young man's who helped at the thrift store.
My last stop was to pick up our online Fareway order. An older lady, maybe in her 60s or early 70s, brought the groceries, unloaded them from cart to back end of the Subaru, I thanked her politely. She smiled, said, "You are welcome. Have a nice rest of the day." I wished her the same.
What the hell has happened to our society? Why do some of the younger people act like they're doing us a favor by doing their jobs? Perhaps I'm reaping the grand harvest that comes with a head of gray hair. Is it that, or has common courtesy been flushed?
As I parked the Subaru in Venny's underground garage, I thought to myself.......this is why it's no fun being out and about anymore. No matter where we go, we're greeted with disrespect. Some people are greeted with assault rifles in their local stores.
It's important that I underscore the fact that not all young individuals are like this. To prove that as fact, the young gal who tested my eyes at the optometrist's office, was as polite and kind as she could be. It's a blessing that she reassured me that not all youth are choosing to be victims because they have to work.
Maybe it's part of the Divine Plan that we seniors reap disrespect, cuz that lessens the pain of leaving this world. It becomes an unwelcome place, our piece of the puzzle no longer fits.
And, that's the topic of the day, written with sadness, bewilderment, and disbelief.
Same here. Some clerks act as though they're doing me a favor. It's a busy, busy world and the majority of young people are not respectful, not just of age, though; of anything. They simply don't like their jobs. One store I've shopped in checks out customers without a word but the total for the merch. No Thank You at all. I ask for it to be in a bag and most workers are disgruntled to have to bag up my items. I'm fearful I'd drop even a few articles before I get to my car if they weren't in a container.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the girl at the optometrist's office. Not all younger folks are like that and that's refreshing!
Hey, thanks much for your comment. I think we all need to know that it's not just us personally reacting to these interactions. If it upsets us, can we imagine how our parents would react to such disrespect? OMG. I'm thankful they're gone and don't have to be subject to the new world. Wish the media would work as hard on The Golden Rule as they do on Corruption and Violence. But, that wouldn't get them the ratings. Again, thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh you are so right about the respect, I've witnessed all of the above. Took a beautiful ice bucket, cut glass with silver trim to a thrift store used only twice. Anyway this young gal takes the box and dumps it in the trash! I promptly went over and got it out of the dumpster and put it inside with all the rest of the boxes to be sorted and displayed. I gathered that she had a bad attitude about her job!!! Won't these people have a rough awakening when they grow up! After witnessing this I never went back to this second hand store to give again.
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