Pears
I was in Central Market this week. I watched a woman completely harass a store employee over pears.
I wasn't really paying attention until I heard a woman's voice say loudly, "I can't believe it. These pears have been mislabeled for weeks. This is ridiculous!" It got my attention because this woman was pissed. I turned and saw a woman pointing at pears and standing very close to a store employee...up in his face.
He said quietly, "I am sorry."
She went on.
"This is ridiculous. Green pears...the label says green pears! Look at them, these are clearly Anjou pears! How hard is it to label things correctly? I mean look at them! Look at the shape. Anjou. Anjou!!!"
The store employee - probably just the young man who puts the produce out...not the person who purchases the pears, or the person who prints the labels, or anyone with any decision making authority at all says, "Yes ma'am."
The woman went on. "This must be remedied immediately! People need to know what they are buying. It is unacceptable that you can't get this right. I need to know if I am buying Anjou pears or something else! People need to know what they are buying."
"Yes ma'am."
"I am waiting!"
So here is the deal...
I wanted to go over and say, "Green Pears - I love these. They are delicious. I am going to buy them now." Then I hoped she would say, "Do you even know what kind of pears they are?" And I would say, "Of course, these are Green Anjou pears. Any moron would know that." Then I would bag up a few pears, tell the young man "Thank you for carrying these pears." Then I would turn and glare at the woman, and walk away.
Actually, I wanted to to go over and say, "Why are you so angry? They are pears, not vials of coronavirus. Calm down."
Actually, I wanted to go over and say, "What happened to you to make you such an angry, abusive person?"
Actually...I wanted to remove her physically from the store.
In reality, I walked away. Well, I walked away saying loudly, "They are pears...don't be such a bitch."
I had similar experience at an Indian food restaurant recently.
Some woman was completely assaulting a waiter because the restaurant was not using paper plates. She was very upset....she was ranting about environmental awareness...and how easy it was to compost paper products...and how she comes in every week and "every week I have to bring this to your attention!"
Again, someone attacking someone who has no authority or involvement in decision making.
I get it...we are all angry right now. And we have good reason to be.
Trump.
Republicans enabling Trump.
Trump.
I am angry too. I guess I just have to good sense to channel that anger in the right direction. It doesn't do any good to take it out on the wrong person. And it actually makes you look like a real asshole.
It's okay to be angry. It is not okay to take it out on just anyone.
Point your anger in the right direction.
Or...calm down. It's a pear.
Just sayin'
