I'm not accustomed to inspiring a deer-in-the-headlights look from a checker at the grocery store. I was able to do it and it left both me and my husband stunned.
We buy 60% of our groceries from New Seasons, 20% from Costco, 10% from Target and the rest of the fill in, when times are desperate, Fred Meyer. I don't get out to run family errands much and prefer my retail experiences to not be annoying and frustrating.
I'm also price conscious and tried to save some by giving Freddy a chance. Bad decision. I'll pay a bit more to stay at New Seasons.
We found ourselves at Fred Meyers the other day. I was first disappointed in the meat department. I've never heard of a meat department running out of ground beef. It was true. I saw varying cuts of meat next to the empty ground beef tray and asked that she simply make more - meaning to stick it in the grinder. I made the mistake to assume she knew where the meat grinder was, and how to use it. She glazed over and stammered through her excuse that I needed to come back tomorrow.
I had already visited the produce department and realizing another stop had to be made to get meat, I would cut the trip short and just leave with what I had so far.
As I was leaving to purchase a bit of produce that didn't look limp, I brought my carrots before the checker. I asked her, "Will you please remove the carrot tops?" forgetting I was not in New Seasons anymore, Dorothy.
She was stunned at this question. She too glazed over with the most puzzled look. She replied, "This may be a dumb question and you'll think me dumb, but how do I do that?"
I was left speechless.
My husband was speechless.
We are NEVER speechless.
These were not some exotic fruit from lands far away and tropical. These were CARROTS! Scissors, hatchet, tweezers - any number of tools would aid her. She offered no policy against removing the tops or weighing issues. She just didn't know how to remove carrot tops.
Since I had nothing kind or appropriate to say at that moment I said nothing. With a forced sincere smile, I motioned for her to hand me the carrots and I demonstrated how to remove the tops. I'm not as smooth at the folks at New Seasons, but I got the job done and my hands smelled like carrot tops. This was what I was trying to avoid. She then sincerely thanked me for the demonstration and shared that no one has ever asked her to do it before. I've never asked because at our usual store, because they ask me before I can mention it. They remove them with with the swiftness of a skilled surgeon and a smile.
Sometimes it's just worth paying a bit more. I enjoy shopping for food for my family, surprising them with treats of ripe fruits and smelly cheeses. My time to get these errands done is limited. I prefer to spend it at a store that rarely leaves me frustrated or speechless.
Comments