Friday, November 4, 2022

Shocked

 I was standing in line at the grocery store, waiting my turn. I had my stuff on the conveyor. The woman in front of me was paying for her stuff and having a bit of trouble with her debit card and the card reader. The young man had her pull her card out and restart the transaction. 

I felt sorry for her. She was embarrassed, but the young man waited with not one sound of impatience, which I thought was very kind. I looked over at him to say something...

... and... 

...he was standing at his register with a far away look on his face 

...and...

HE WAS PICKING HIS NOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

The transaction completed at about the same time, and he handed the woman her receipt and began picking up my items one at a time to scan them. 

I stood there stupified and silent. I wanted to say something

What the hell is wrong with you? 

GROSS!

Get your hands off my food. 

 I decided I don't want to get groceries today.

Yo, buddy, you ever hear of covid?

Most of my best responses come well after the fact, and as usual, it occurred to me as I put the groceries in my car, that I should have simply said, 'Hey...do you mind using some of that hand sanitizer before you start ringing me up?' 

I imagine that is how Ms Manners would have handled this.

36 comments:

  1. One gets shocked into silence...but also worry about the response if you do say anything.
    It's surprising how many do pick their nose in public..I wonder if they do so without thinking

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    1. I am sure that this much be it. But then you begin to wonder if they are so unconscious of something as unhygienic as that, what other little public health things he is unaware of.

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  2. I expect what you saw is only a tenth of what staff, or anyone's hands do. But still, gross to so in public.

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    1. Oh, don't think you're telling me anything that didn't cross my mind while I stood in line!

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  3. I hope the fresh vegetables aren't hand picked by him?

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    1. He was hand picking, but it wasn't vegetables...unless of course there was a carrot up his nose. But, I bet there s'not.

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  4. Yea, that is gross. We always think of the best line when it is over and done, huh?! I would think twice about getting in his checkout line again!

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    1. He usually is not on the register. He generally is stocking/touching everything in the store. He hops on the register when it gets busy. I do need to point out that he seems like a very hardworking young man.

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  5. Maybe you were sending unconscious signals to each other like one of my favorite movies from my youth!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOShjRJAxcg

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    1. I don't think I ever saw this movie but the clip was funny. The awkwardness of youth.

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  6. Poor kid. Sounds like he just didn't learn proper etiquette, let alone good hygiene. I'm not sure if there's a 'deliquiate' way of addressing this with him (aside) or his boss? I'm sure his employer wouldn't want customers seeing this. If addressing this with his boss, put in some good words for him, too. The kid just needs to be made aware of this from some source. But dear God that was gross!
    Paranormal John

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    1. I actually did not think of simply addressing it with his boss, within the framework of commending his work ethic. That's a nice idea, John. Ms. Manners would surely approve!

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  7. Oh my word. I'm not certain I could have refrained from quietly asking the young man to use the hand sanitizer before scanning my groceries. Poor, poor young man to be so unaware. Gives me the heebie-jeebies.

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    1. The quiet voice was being drowned out for a time by all the louder voices screaming "ACK!" "YUCK!" "WHAT THE ...." "DON'T TOUCH MY STUFF!!!!!!" It wasn't until those voices quieted down that I was able to hear the quiet little sensible voice. The best way to handle it though, is to use John's approach. A quiet little aside to the store manager set within the framework of 'what a good worker he seems to be...' is the way to handle it. I will write it, instead of going there, since I have a relative who works there and I would not want any blowback for her.

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    2. Agree completely with John's approach and your thoughtful plan for a written quiet aside with the manager. Have a wonderful weekend, Debby!

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  8. Wow. Who picks their nose in public? At a till? With people watching him?

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  9. Gross. Not long ago when I was checking out I commented to the girl that I though she and I were the only ones wearing masks in the store. She looked at me and said, "I'm only wearing one because I'm sick.". I wasn't sure what to say at that point.

    Our favorite nose-picking line from a movie is "Pick me a winner" from Little Nicky. It became our go-to thing to say whenever we saw anyone picking their nose.

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    Replies
    1. Never saw the movie Little Nicky either. You folks are ever so educational.

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  10. Yuck! It’s likely just an unfortunate habit that he doesn’t know he’s doing. Hopefully anyway.

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  11. The proper response for seeing someone pick their nose is "find gold"

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    1. Too shocked to even make a joke about it, although my response to Northsider's comment up there struck me as golden. :D

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  12. Poor kid. I go with he hadn't been well taught, and tell his boss.

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  13. How bizarre! Maybe you could take a small bottle of sanitizer, and kleenex and take the kid aside, and tell him what he did, and let him know that's not cool, but that you wanted to chat with him directly. You might save him from losing his job or a future one. Linda in Kansas

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    Replies
    1. There is a huge bottle of sanitizer with a pump right there at each register.

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  14. Holy smokes! I have never seen that happen. Thank goodness. Wooow...

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  15. I think you need to send an anonymous email to the manager of the store. That can't be allowed to go on.

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  16. I don't know how I would send an anonymous e-mail, since my email is my name but I am going to address it. Paranormal John up there had a very good approach, and I am going to follow his lead.

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  17. Ha! Yeah, that's pretty bad. The hand sanitizer request would certainly have been the polite way to handle it, but it would be hard not to say something more...visceral.

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  18. This happened to me recently at a gas station. This is why I try to remember to wipe down all of my grocery items when I get home. If we see this every now and then, imagine how many times it happens that we don't see!

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