The nerve..

[GoinBackToCali]

We did our weekly grocery trip to Super Wal-Mart. As we all know, stuff is getting uber expensive, with everybody adding on a fuel surcharge. So for the same stuff we previously spent say $150 on, we are now spending $175 or so.

As we were checking out, an elderly Gentleman behind us, he asked for a manager, because he found coffee on the shelf partially open, and he asked her if he could have it for a percentage off so he could afford more food. As we were walking to the door my husband and I commented on how sad it was for the poor fellow to have to do that. My heart really felt for him, because my mom is elderly, and I worry about her..

As we walk out the door the greeter stops us to check our ticket, and she says *Didja spend lots of money today?* with a big smile on her face.. and just in conversation my husband says *Yep, we sure did, but it seems like everytime we come in here, we spend $15 to $25 dollars more for the same stuff.*

The woman actually kept her smile, and said.. *Good, I am glad, it makes me proud you made me money*

Yeah I know about profit sharing for Wal-Mart..

Is that NOT unreal?

Needless to say, my husband got PEEVED, and complained.. the manager was like *Well she was prolly just trying to make conversation*

His point was.. you don't make insensitive conversation like that, when the elderly are dickering for a bargain on open food, and families are making decisions on either paying their bills, putting gas in their cars to get to work, or eating.

It took everything I had to keep from saying something really ugly to that woman..

My husband wants me to call the home office and complain.. I told him it is not likely to do any good..

Gawd I am peeved...

:rant:

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Oh Lord, if my hubby was with me during that and was questioned at the door? Wouldn't be good. He is good at putting people in their place, which sometimes is good, haha.

That is horrible of that woman to say that though:?.

 

[undergunfire]

Now that I have a house and lots of bills to pay for....I really wonder why we have to spend so much money on food. I mean, we NEED food, don't we? Why do we need to pay for something that we NEED to live?


Arg, it has always made no sense to me, at all.



That poor old man. I would have bought him an unopened bag of coffee and put back some of my stuff to see him happy. Who knows how stale the coffee was or something in the opened bag.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Yeah, Amy, I think I would have offered to buy his coffee, even as the cost has risen unbelieveably:grumpy:.

 

[undergunfire]

AngelnSnuffy wrote:

Yeah, Amy, I think I would have offered to buy his coffee, even as the cost has risen unbelieveably:grumpy:.

Mac & cheese is cheap and that just so happens to be my favorite dinner...and non-machanically seperated hot dogs .

 

[GoinBackToCali]

Wow, I am so glad I posted this thoughtful and introspective piece full of non-mechanically separated information for ya'll to hijack..lol

 

[GoinBackToCali]

Kinda like I am so glad my mom splurged and bought me the Ralph Lauren home collection place mats clearance for $18 a pop..

Otherwise the cat would have nowhere to sit and clean his butt..

 

[TinysMom]

GoinBackToCali wrote:

His point was.. you don't make insensitive conversation like that, when the elderly are dickering for a bargain on open food, and families are making decisions on either paying their bills, putting gas in their cars to get to work, or eating.

It took everything I had to keep from saying something really ugly to that woman..

My husband wants me to call the home office and complain.. I told him it is not likely to do any good..

Gawd I am peeved...

:rant:

In a way - this relates to a conversation that Art & I had yesterday while we were at Walmart.

When I shop with Robin - I usually let her load stuff up on the belt thingy because she is pickier than I am and she puts all the frozen stuff together and the frig stuff together, etc. etc. She had a friend who worked at a checkout for a while and she got to hear all the stories about how it "should" be done. Since Robin is ... well...she's just Robin.....I leave it to her to do that.....90% of the time.

But one time a few months ago - early in the morning - like maybe 6 am or so - we run to Walmart to get stuff. We're both wiped out....so we just sorta put stuff up on the conveyer belt thingy in whatever order it is in the cart. For one thing - there's no one ahead of us....so we're trying to move as fast as we can...to help out the cashier....for another thing - we're just tired - I'm dead tired - I wanna get home and collapse...

The cashier starts talking to me and mouthing off (in a somewhat Southern type friendly way which says, "I think you're an idiot" all the while smiling and making it sound like they're helping you learn)....about how frozen stuff goes together and so on.

Now as many people know - I am not one to complain.....not easily. But I got so upset - I was almost in tears at her criticism - even Robin was offended. I *almost* spoke to the manager - but the fact was - I was dead tired...and I was so close to tears (I actually cried out in the car) because when I get this hurt and mad I cry.

My point?

People who work in stores like this need to keep their minds AND their mouths on saying things that are appropriate to say to customers. They are there to ENCOURAGE the customers - to make them want to return. They are there to SERVE....and I think a lot of them need a course in manners.....

As far as the elderly gentleman and the coffee....I hate to say it - but many times the elderly (and not so elderly) are very proud and they do not want others buying them something. My mom just turned 80 this last weekend and she would be mortified to tears if someone tried to buy her coffee. She would also be PROUD of herself for being willing to ask for a discount...because it is something she learned as a way of managing her money years ago....

While it might make you feel good to buy the man coffee....I'm sure that every cup he had from it just might taste bitter....versus enjoying it with the pride of knowing that he "bargained" for it.

Just my .02 ~ I have several elderly friends and family members and most of them would be offended at something like what y'all are saying....

 

[undergunfire]

Well, it certainly doesn't hurt to try to help people ! Atleast I would feel good about offering, then not offering.

 

[GoinBackToCali]

Actually, it wasn't OUR pride that kept us from offering. It was the fact had it been either of my parents, they would have been MORTIFIED someone was offering to pay for their stuff, as if they were incapable of taking care of themselves..

Hence why we thought it best to leave the fellow alone, the checker was already being embarrassing enough going and getting the manager in a huff, without me and Rick's big butts steppin in waving fundage..

As for the rest of what I originally said..

I think I shall just walk away...

I am sorry I even brought this up...

 

[Bo B Bunny]

OMG A lot of older people would knock you on your @ss if you tried to pay for their coffee! LOL!

That old man probably had more money than all of us put together because he IS so danged frugal!

It is sad, yes, to think that some might be that poor. It's also a shame there are idiots that say crap like that woman to you, Zin, but try to remember that..... they're idiots.

 

[SweetPeasMommie]

Man if she said that to me, i would punch her in the face and return everything and buy my food elsewhere.

That is so wrong. Also I very rarely buy things there anyways cause they are money greedy and money hungry.

An employee from Walmart got hit by a walmart rig truck, left her brain damage. Her husband sued walmart, they won, walmart paid for their medical coverages.

Then the husband sued the trucking company and won lots of money, just after they won the money, their son was killed in Iraq.

Just after that happened walmart decided to sue the lady and her hubby for the reamaining of the money they won after they paid for their lawyer fees, and they lost. Walmart got the money and put it back in the medical benefits thing so they don't have to pay more for more employees.

Now think about that, they under pay, they take advantage of ppl, they rob ppl for money and such. Forget walmart, I only go there for few things that is it. I spend no more than 50 dollars there what once a month maybe.

I would rather spend 10 dollars more to go elsewhere. Just my 2 cents.

Peg, I worked at Krogers for 6 months, us as baggers we have to have cold together, cans together, non foods in another, chemicals in one, then cards have to be in a small bag handed to customers.

If I was bagging my own stuff I could careless how I do it just as long as the chemicals are in a separate bag. I would tell my baggers just load it all up as much as you can.

 

[Bassetluv]

Hence why we thought it best to leave the fellow alone, the checker was already being embarrassing enough going and getting the manager in a huff, without me and Rick's big butts steppin in waving fundage..

I think sometimes it's a tough call, deciding when to offer to help someone. I agree, in many instances people would be upset to have someone step in and offer to pay for something. My dad would not only be mortified if someone offered to help him, he'd be highly offended. I'm not sure I would offer to help someone in a case such as with the man and the coffee...I'd probably decide depending upon the person's overall demeanor, and how desperate they seemed.

This might be slightly different, but many years ago I used to work cash at a store...and we always had to ask elderly people, prior to ringing in their purchases, if they had a senior citizen's card so they could receive a discount. (Because of the way the system was set up, the discount had to be entered before ringing in the merchandise, otherwise the person wouldn't get it...and many times elderly citizens would forget to present their card until well after everything was rung in.) I came to absolutely dread asking them, because - first of all - you had to guess at whether the person actually was 65 or older...and in some cases when I asked, they turned out to be much younger than their outer appearance (Lesson 101 in how to offend a customer: ask a 55-yr-old woman if she's a senior). And secondly, I found that many people, even if they were seniors, were offended to be asked anyway. Their pride seemed to come well ahead of any discount they might receive on their purchases.

So yeah, such situations can be touchy...

 

[SweetPeasMommie]

I had to post this. I am sorry :threadhijacked:

 

[seniorcats]

Bassetluv wrote:

Hence why we thought it best to leave the fellow alone, the checker was already being embarrassing enough going and getting the manager in a huff, without me and Rick's big butts steppin in waving fundage..

I think sometimes it's a tough call, deciding when to offer to help someone. I agree, in many instances people would be upset to have someone step in and offer to pay for something. My dad would not only be mortified if someone offered to help him, he'd be highly offended. I'm not sure I would offer to help someone in a case such as with the man and the coffee...I'd probably decide depending upon the person's overall demeanor, and how desperate they seemed.

This might be slightly different, but many years ago I used to work cash at a store...and we always had to ask elderly people, prior to ringing in their purchases, if they had a senior citizen's card so they could receive a discount. (Because of the way the system was set up, the discount had to be entered before ringing in the merchandise, otherwise the person wouldn't get it...and many times elderly citizens would forget to present their card until well after everything was rung in.) I came to absolutely dread asking them, because - first of all - you had to guess at whether the person actually was 65 or older...and in some cases when I asked, they turned out to be much younger than their outer appearance (Lesson 101 in how to offend a customer: ask a 55-yr-old woman if she's a senior). And secondly, I found that many people, even if they were seniors, were offended to be asked anyway. Their pride seemed to come well ahead of any discount they might receive on their purchases.

So yeah, such situations can be touchy...

Ok I am hijacking some more. I have to laugh at this. I have been getting the senior discount since I was 45. No, I do not ask for it and do not tell people I am a senior (53 yrs now). It all started at a Taco Bell where the gal gave me a cup for a soft drink. I told her I didn't order one. She said all seniors get free drinks. Me - I am not a senior. The gal - Oh yes you are. Me - No, I'm not. The woman behind me elbowed me and said 'take the drink, who cares if you're not a senior'. So I said ok and the gal says 'See,I always know a senior....' I was 45 at the time. So, me being me then said, 'oh can I have another free drink. My husband is retired'. and she gave it to me. I found it amusing that this gal was forcing me to be a senior. It's the gray hair I've had since age 38.

On the other hand, my husband was appalled the first time he was given a senior discount on coffee at McDonald's. He told the cashier she didn't charge him enough and she told him he was obviously a senior...

Sine then, I'll take any discount they want to give me.

As for the WalMart woman, that was uncalled for and should be reported.

As for the cat butt on Ralph Lauren place mats - that cracked me up.

 

[GoinBackToCali]

I WAS enjoying my meal of cornbread, dirty rice and collard greens...

NOW I have to clean it off my desk...

LOL.. I LOVE IT!!








SweetPeasMommie wrote:

I had to post this. I am sorry :threadhijacked:

 

[SweetPeasMommie]

GoinBackToCali wrote:

I WAS enjoying my meal of cornbread, dirty rice and collard greens...

NOW I have to clean it off my desk...

LOL.. I LOVE IT!!








SweetPeasMommie wrote:

I had to post this. I am sorry :threadhijacked:

lol yeah I love this one too. WE were at walmart tonight