Small Acts

Post by **AjK** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 12:32 am

aliantha wrote:I've had store clerks express undying gratitude to me when they've had delays in ringing up my purchases (register out of tape, computer refusing to ring up the price correctly, trainee on the register, whatever) and I *haven't* gotten crabby.

Hats off to you, aliantha. While this may seem small, if the person is truly concerned that they are delaying a customer then I think that they really appreciate something like that. Plus I am sure that there are many others that really give them grief over it.

Post by **lurch** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 12:17 am

One of the sweeties behind the deli counter told me about, then gave me a newspaper page that had the coupon on sandwich meat I had just bought..Nice!

Post by **Cheval** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:21 pm

I usually keep things simple.
Like holding open doors, saying thank you, help carrying things to their car, and so on.

Oh yeah, I do cut my neighbor's lawn when she needs it.
(She is 87 years old, lives alone, and has a fixed income.
She cannot afford a lawn service and her son cuts the lawn maybe twice a month.)

Post by **aliantha** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:41 pm

Andy Kalish wrote:
aliantha wrote:I've had store clerks express undying gratitude to me when they've had delays in ringing up my purchases (register out of tape, computer refusing to ring up the price correctly, trainee on the register, whatever) and I *haven't* gotten crabby.
Hats off to you, aliantha. While this may seem small, if the person is truly concerned that they are delaying a customer then I think that they really appreciate something like that. Plus I am sure that there are many others that really give them grief over it.

That's the truly sad thing about it -- that I get undying gratitude for not being a jerk.

Gods, but I love DC....

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:08 pm

Same happens here Ali. I've even said things to people being rude to cashiers because of things like register tape running out etc.

Post by **aliantha** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:13 pm

Ugh. It really is sad. C'mon, people -- take a deep, cleansing breath!

Post by **Wyldewode** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:51 pm

Last night I went to Qdoba, and the guy behind the counter asked me how I was. I told him I was fine, and asked him how he was. He paused, look shocked, and then answered. And after that the cashier rang me up, and when I was finished he went out of his way to tell me to let him know if I needed anything.

I'm with Ali. . . courtesy is such a dying art that being moderately courteous seems out of the ordinary.

Post by **CovenantJr** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 7:59 am

aliantha wrote:
Andy Kalish wrote:
aliantha wrote:I've had store clerks express undying gratitude to me when they've had delays in ringing up my purchases (register out of tape, computer refusing to ring up the price correctly, trainee on the register, whatever) and I *haven't* gotten crabby.
Hats off to you, aliantha. While this may seem small, if the person is truly concerned that they are delaying a customer then I think that they really appreciate something like that. Plus I am sure that there are many others that really give them grief over it.
That's the truly sad thing about it -- that I get undying gratitude for not being a jerk. Gods, but I love DC....

Ha, you wouldn't believe what people get crabby about. That's why retail is possibly the second most soul-destroying line of work in the world, after local government. In my retail days, I had, for instance, a man actually rage at me for several minutes because I handed him the pack of cigars he asked for, not the ones he wanted. Why he asked for something he didn't want was never made clear.

I'm not sure why, but lots of otherwise rational and reasonable people become fuming, yelling lunatics when shopping.

It could be because over 90% of retail staff can't spell their own name. But that's beside the point...

Post by **AjK** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:26 pm

Cameraman Jenn wrote:I've even said things to people being rude to cashiers because of things like register tape running out etc.

I tried that once when I was younger (okay, mostly because I thought the cashier who was being roasted was very pretty & nice ... so sue me) and the irate customer proceeded to tee off on me too. Pretty funny.

Post by **CovenantJr** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:25 pm

Actually, I did defend a cashier not so long ago. I'd forgotten about that. Her shift was over and she was trying to close her checkout, and had put a Checkout Closed sign at the end, but some bloke just put his stuff on the conveyor, and kept saying "It'll only take a few minutes" whenever she tiold him she was closed. Of course, if people see one person come to the closed checkout they'll all follow and she'll never get home. So I gave him a verbal flaying. Calmly.

Hey, can we have a Diary of Small Acts of Spite thread?

Post by **Brother Charn** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:40 pm

CovenantJr wrote:Hey, can we have a Diary of Small Acts of Spite thread?

I think it's only fair that we granted one.

DW aka Brother Charn

Post by **[Syl]** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:49 pm

CovenantJr wrote:Hey, can we have a Diary of Small Acts of Spite thread?

So I'm at Coldstone last week with my wife, son, and mother-in-law. There's two kids in front of me - a girl who's probably about 15 or so and a younger boy who was probably her brother. They've already got their ice cream, but the girl is still talking to the girl who works behind the counter. No big deal. I've acclimated to living in the Southeast. Now the girl wants to try one of the ice cream flavors. And then another. And then another one. And then they talk some more. As the girl's finally getting ready to leave the line, she says, "...and if she hangs out with him, I'll, like, not even talk to her." I'd been listening to this conversation for the last five minutes, and I can't even tell you what they were talking about. But with a completely serious tone of voice I say, "Like totally," In agreement. The girl working behind the counter gave me a look that was a weird combination of the evil eye and slack jawed amazement, holding there for a full five seconds at least before I asked her if she said something.

Post by **Auleliel** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:06 pm

Post by **CovenantJr** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:00 pm

Nicely done, Syl.

Ok, my small act of kindness today was to give my WGDs to Jenn, to help with her treasure-seeking.

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:27 pm

And it is greatly appreciated.

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:33 pm

Man...
that is some jump in WGDs in a single day, Jenn...

...beginning to eye my total with trepidation...

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:51 pm

Why should my dollars worry you, Menolly?

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:53 pm

<-- has competitive streak, and likes having the most WGDs currently...

[hey...I'm being honest]

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:56 pm

Ok. I'll go first. When I used to manage Napa stores we had an annual tool sale event and usually gave away free hotdogs and soda. The rep for the Echlin product line was a total jerk so I stuffed a greasy hotdog under the door handle of his car so that when he went to leave he stuck his fingers in it and got his hand all gross with hotdog all up under his fingernails even.

Post by **CovenantJr** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:21 pm

Classy stuff.

Some of my acts of spite are hard to explain (I've typed this post three times, and still failed) so I'll have a think and come back.

Mike from Shortpacked! is something of an idol on the spite front:

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Small Acts

Small Acts of Spite