Sometimes I'm amazed at how easy it could be for us to make the world a happier place. I am usually struck by this when I am confronted with the east coasters' stereotypical bluntness.
Last week I went to a certain big name book store with the 3 children by myself (me=glutton for punishment). I really wanted a Berenstain Bears book about siblings fighting, because it is so relevant in our house (me=taking said fighting children into a quiet book store=stupid). I COULD have gone on-line and taken 2 seconds to order it and had the nice postman deliver it right to my house. But where is the fun in that? There is a train table at the book store! And teeny tiny aisles that strollers don't fit through and long winding check-out lines that take you past Breakable! China! and Collapsible CD Displays! Oh! What fun the book store is!
While my children were playing with the train table (read: fighting over the one Thomas train with the colorful paint splashed on it), I was drooling on myself with boredom...in a giant bookstore! I knew I should not stray more than 5 steps away from the play area, lest my children wreck havoc on the store. But this limited my reading selection to child cook books (Me=not that big of a glutton) and parenting magazines. Ugh. Parenting magazines...I'm here with my CHILDREN...surrounded by the fruit of my loins that surround me every minute of every day. In the few moments of peace (Lily and Andrew ganging up on Michael when he sucks on the sacred Thomas train), I don't want to read about how to make a craft with my kids out of only paperclips, tissue paper, and soap flakes (like I even know where to GET soap flakes). I also do not want to read how every other mother is using every minute of their day productively...teaching their children life lessons, getting into shape while they shop in the grocery store for their organic produce that they will feed their children who love veggies. No. I want a chance to look at the new releases that are placed all the way at the front of the store in a delicious looking display that I rush past as I chase my offspring to the back of the store. Pretend for a minute or two that I still have a brain that wants info NOT related to parenting and that I may want to spend some time not cleaning my house or teaching my children and instead reading a novel.
So I have a brilliant idea! Why not put one teeny tiny book display back by the children's area with best sellers? New releases? One God-forsaken book on future careers?
There is a hapless worker shelving books in the childrens' area. I saddle on up to her, keeping one eye on the gremlins. I mention my idea to her, laughing kind of nervously.
Here's what COULD have happened. She could think -in her head- that I am a nutcase, and why would they want to separate their inventory and chance children goobering on the "good" books, etc etc. But SAY OUT LOUD, "Wow! Okay! I'll let my manager know." She turns back to her work and forgets that I even exist, and I go through the rest of my day feeling satisfied and smarty and like I've made the world a better place. I leave feeling like sunshine and maybe sing to my children. THAT EASY.
But instead, she looked at me as if I had instead suggested that they install a meth lab in the children's section and said, "What-ever."
So I leave feeling stupid and angry at people in this part of the world (which is totally unfair because I'd say over half the people I meet are friendly and wonderful). I rush to leave the store and maybe flick off a stranger because I'm now angry at the world. (No..did not happen...but COULD HAVE) And then I write a very passive aggressive post.
See how easy it would be to just make the world a bit happier?
8 comments:
This is when you leave your kids to destroy the store and go over to browse the best sellers. When said employee comes to find you to discipline your kids-- YOU say "whatever."
Oh yes, the wonderful attitudes that I encounter endlessly here on the 'east coast'.
I cannot tell you how weird it is to have people endlessly thank you 4 times in shock that you held the elevator door open for them... or because you noticed they looked confused and asked if you could help. The lack of having people smile back at me is what still throws me off...
Oh the warm, fuzzy east coast... ;) But I must agree with you, there are lots of nice people... it's just those that say 'whatever' that make the nice people seem refreshing instead of expected! :)
I'm still shocked that you would consider Pittsburgh the "east coast." It would take 7-8 hours to get the the coast from there. I think maybe it is just a weird breed of unfriendly all on its own. Philly isn't "really" on the coast either, but it gets lumped in.
And, of course, I encountered the same thing in SoCal. I should't make fun of the local...there are unfortunately unfriendly people everywhere, right?
That is insane! I spent a majority of my young adult life working in retail and I firmly believe that no matter how crazy the customer you just smile and nod!
Of course your request was totally on spot and something I was pondering last weekend at the same big name book store! I'd take a people magazine over the children's books by the train table. Think of the money they could make!
Ah! Wouldn't that be heavenly?!
I must agree Giselle, it's hard for me to consider Philly the east coast... let alone Pittsburgh. What I've learned from some 'native' 'burgh-ers is that they identify more with the east coast and consider Kansas more of midwest. But they would agree, they are certainly a breed of their own!
Also- you're right, there are unfriendly people everywhere. So I suppose none of it is really about location, just that we are surprised when we come across those who aren't as friendly as we expected... or something. (my brain isn't working after a 12-hour shift..) :)
I just find that many people who work in retail these days are somehow not customer service oriented. In fact, I got more into online shopping to avoid such things. The same goes for food service. The person is either AWESOMELY nice/accommodating OR the type that you experienced- apathetic & maybe even a little hostile. I say if you hate your job that much- get another one! Maybe this economy is tough but there were salty people before the recession. I hate when these people manage to ruin my day--and I really shouldn't give them a second thought. PS: If you think PA is bad, try Connecticut... seriously.
I would also love it if they did that at the library!! Nothing worse than dragging my kids in the adult section of the library to try and find a book for myself all while driving the quiet readers around me completely insane.
I would totally write a letter to the manager or corproate office of the book store chain suggesting your idea as well as informing them of the response you were given from the very rude girl!
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