Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

We now interrupt our regularly scheduled programming for a short rant about manners and the shopping experience…

Yesterday I was standing in line to pay for some shampoo. A young girl (glued to her cell phone, in deep discussion) pranced up to the counter and slapped down her purchases, all while still talking on the phone - never even glanced up at the woman behind the counter (or anybody else). Throughout the entire transaction, the yakker never once looked at the woman or acknowledged her in any way.

While I’ve grown used to being surrounded by oblivious zombies (of all ages) mumbling (yelling) to unseen people…this was really too much. When I got to the head of the line, I opened my mouth to say something to the sales clerk..and didn’t get the chance. She looked me in the eye, started waving her hands and yelled, “RUDE! RUDE! RUDE!”

Well! We were off on a mutual rant, about cell phones, manners, and “kids today.”

The sad thing is that it isn’t just the kids. Way too many of us spend way too much time talking to people somewhere else…not even noticing the fellow human beings right in front of us.

I don’t care if it’s the other person’s job to “wait on us.” He or she deserves at least a hello and the courtesy of - gee, I dunno - a WHOLE 20 seconds of attention. Makes for a better environment for everyone, both employees and customers. (One reason it’s fun to shop at Trader Joe’s is that the customers and employees are talking and laughing with each other.)

I don’t like shopping with zombies! And, next time one is spreading the rudeness, I think I’ll gird my cojones, tap the clueless one on the shoulder and say something. After all, they’re invading the aural space of everyone within their vicinity. (I’ll post if I need help with bail money…)

Same goes for driving - one of my favorite bumper stickers is “Hang up and drive.”