In my book, Please and Thank You are de rigueur - as are handshakes, How do you dos and handwritten thank you notes.
Just because life is passing by at break neck speed these days, doesn't mean we can't punctuate the moment with politeness.
So, imagine my shock and dismay when I was so rudely insulted by a customer at this past weekend's Holiday Market.
I spent several hours on Friday and Sunday afternoon/evening selling the newest cookbook from the Junior League of Cincinnati (shameless plug: I designed and developed Cincinnati Seasoned, so I'm a bit partial to it). During that time, I did my damnedest to reign in new customers. I think my technique was only a notch or two away from becoming one of those annoying "Guess your age or weight" people at the local carnival.
But I digress.
There I was, exchanging pleasantries with a woman who had just purchased two cookbooks, when she let out the most shocking comment I've heard in weeks.
Rude lady: So, your booth doesn't really look the way it used to...
(ed. note: I've only been selling a cookbook for, oh, a month or so. I'm not familiar with what past committee chairs and co-chairs have done in previous years, but from what I've been told, I sense it wasn't really elaborate).
Me: Oh, really? I'm not familiar.
Rude lady: Oh well. You know what they say... (sing song) Young people are lazy! (walks away)
My fellow committee member and I were floored by such a rude and unsolicited comment, especially considering this woman had been so complimentary about the cookbook, etc. We literally stared at each other, slack jawed and wide eyed, for a good three seconds or so.
Who the hell behaves this way?
People, be on the lookout. This salt-and-peppered windbag is out and about, doing her holiday shopping in the Tri-State area.
I'd hate for her to inflict her prejudiced wrath on you, too.
Kate's Random Musings by Kate the Great is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
1 comment:
Since the lady made such a comment without ELABORATING, it's a true reflection on her. If she couldn't word it nicer (change in booth) with exact specificities, it's a her problem imo: Dislikes young people?Not getting along with her kids/family? Depression?
Not excusing her just saying, and of course you probably know this, it's nothing personal about your booth..it's that lady's unknown problem with somebody.
If she REALLY was curious about things being different at the booth, she could've commented in a plethora of kinder ways.
But social etiquette today is sadly lacking both in youth & the older generation. This lady proved it.
Thank you
:-)
Sophia
p.s. hey, was she an older lady that could've suffered a stroke and messed up that "filter part" of her brain? That does happen, too . . .
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