It's been quite some time since I ranted but yesterday's trip to the grocery store just screamed "Rant".
My husband and I made a trip to the grocery store here in town on Friday, it was a little later in the afternoon than we would normally go so quite possibly the time of day could have added to what we encountered. Before going forward with this story I will say I realize it was a Friday afternoon and people are stopping after work and anxious to get home but not an excuse for pushy rudeness.
We have encountered this type of behavior before - in fact very rarely do we go to the store and not encounter something - so it was not a total surprise, more like the amount of it. It was like the gates of pushy rude behavior opened and everyone inside rushed out all at once.
It started at the meat counter where there was a sale on strip steaks - granted the price was good "But come on People" - as we approached we noticed a women literally leaning over the spot as if saying "I found it first". Now she's pawing through the packages and I'm not kidding hovering so far over that no one could get near, besides us there were several other people waiting.
At this point I suggested to my husband we come back later when the butcher came out from the back with a tray that I assume had possibly more steaks on it. The steak lady - as my husband nicknamed her - turned and lunged at the butcher - honestly I though she was going to tackle him - and launched into this barrage of questions "Are there more", 'Where are they", Are you getting more". The poor man almost had a look of fear on his face - everyone around including us just stood there staring - he told her they were cutting more and would be out soon. But that didn't satisfy her, oh no she wanted to know exactly how long it was going to be and she'd wait right there.
I was so engrossed in the scene I didn't notice my husband did a type of football weaving move and managed to not only get to the steak but to get several packages I'm guessing what was in the case was not to her liking.
We moved off and laughed about what we'd just witnessed until several isles later who do we run into, you guessed it the, "Steak Lady". Now she was doing something that just drives me insane, she stopped to look at something and left her cart right in the middle of the isle. I just love those people, now I get that sometimes something catches your eye and you stop to look but just leaving the cart in the middle "Please", at least move it over to the side so other shoppers can walk past. These are also the people who when you politely say "Excuse Me" they give you a look like you've got three heads and how dare you interrupt them.
As the "Steak Lady" seemed to ooze that type of personality neither one of us wanted to say anything so we turned around and went back the way we came. We ran into her once more before leaving the store but she was quite a distance back from us so we felt safe.
Of course it didn't end there, the last stop was the dairy isle where I stood with the cart - off to the side mind you - and waited while my husband looked at shredded prepackaged cheese - we sprinkle it on his home made soup, so good - when movement caught me eye. Now picture in your mind he is standing in front of the doors obviously looking at the cheese and there was now a woman right behind him literally jumping back and forth from one foot to the other.
I'm telling you she was so close that if he had stepped back he'd have knocked her down, which I think he might have wanted to do when he realized what was going on. I'm watching this and just started laughing - this is what made him turn around - I just could not help it. She turns and looks at me which made me laugh even more and all I could think was "What is wrong with everyone in this store today" - there were a lot of other people with the same affliction that we'd run into but it would take way too long to mention them all - normally my husband would have stood his ground but I guess he decided to move aside and let her in. I think it was my laughing because I noticed he was laughing also and later we both agreed she really must have needed cheese.
One last thing I'll mention is something that took place at the register between the cashier and myself. This particular store has a lot of Buy One get how many ever free which is fine, but sometimes you don't need or want the extra of what ever it is. So it's really annoying when an employee of the store feels the need to not only point out that you get free stuff - like your blind and can't read the sign that's right in front of you - but then will argue when you say you don't want the extra items.
I had that happen once, I think it was around Christmas time and there was a buy one get several free of crackers - it was either Ritz or Townhouse I don't remember - well I only wanted one box and the guy stocking the shelves proceed to tell me it was a sale, I said I knew that but only wanted one box. Of course he could not leave it at that "Oh No" he moved in front of me and gave me a lesson on what a good deal it was and the savings I'd get. Needless to say it took several minutes but he did get the message that I only wanted one box and get out of my face.
Now this brings me to the cashier when we were checking out, apparently there was a special on pepperoni buy one get two free. As she's ringing the packages up she notices there are only two and told me about the sale, now my husband was not standing there at that moment and I don't know if it was her or just all the attitudes we run into but I said "Well I guess he only wanted two". And you know what transpired next, she launched into "Well it's get two free so would you like me to get someone to run back and grab another package, you really should take advantage of the sale".
First off don't tell me what I should or should not do No-No-No - I kept that thought to myself by the way - and second as I said he only wanted two, of course I ended up feeling just a little foolish arguing with her because when my husband came back and found out what was going on he said he had three pepperoni's two packages and one stick. I will give her credit she didn't realize the stick was part of the deal and apologized as did I.
As we were driving out of the parking lot - laughing about all the people - we both agreed that unless we were in desperate need of something the grocery store would be avoided late on a Friday afternoon. But that certainly does not let all you "Pushy-Rude" people off the hook.
