I just got home from Publix (dinner is already in the oven. yes I am the complete man...ha) after a long day at work, but I must comment on what just happened at the place where shopping is a pleasure.
I am in the checkout line and as I am swiping my card (more on this later) I can see the bag girl (is that proper?) out of the corner of my eye waiting to wheel my cart out. She isn't just standing there, she is turned towards the door, both hands on the cart bar (the part you push), weight leaning forward (exaggeration there for story telling purposes...ha). Anyway, she is ready to go, so I pay, get my receipt and as I step to the cart, she moves the cart slightly towards the door before I can even do the usual, "It's OK, I got it. Thank you!" routine. So I do the routine as she is moving the cart and she says (still moving the cart), "OK, but it's complimentary service that Publix offers to you the customer."
First, who says that? What 18-22 year old girl says that? Unfazed, I repeated the routine adding "No, really" and a smile. As she releases (just one hand) and says, "Are you sure??", I began to recall my first job bagging groceries at IGA. That job sucked! If any parents are reading...it taught me NOTHING! That whole teaching you responsibility line of crap is so untrue. OK, I feel better now...back to the topic at hand.
So I recalled my first job at IGA and how at times I would do anything just to get out of the store. So as she asked me, "Are you sure??" I said, "Yeah, I got it. Unless you just want to get out of the store." Both hands clinched the cart bar once more and smiling she wheeled the cart out.
As I was leaving Publix I began to watch the people coming in. Here I was a fairly young dude, with no physical problems, having an even younger girl push my cart. Kinda ridiculous, but I was doing the girl a favor. As we walked I told her a story of my IGA days and how some old lady had me take out her groceries in the rain one day and I got soaked (and no, no raincoats at IGA).
So we get to the car, I pop the trunk and then tell her, "Thank you, I will get it from here." Do you think she would let me? No, we both put the bags in. Crazy! This girl was determined to stay out as long as possible...ha.
Then as she clinched the cart bar once again and my story closed (the one about the old lady) I began to wonder as I am talking to her, is she expecting a tip? Here's the thing, if it is a thing. I drive a Mercedes and when I was a bag kid I would appreciate a tip, but not expect one. So if some dude or lady drove a nice car, my expectations would go up. I don't mind tipping either, but here's the thing, I DON'T CARRY CASH...EVER! So no tip for the girl.
The whole experience was pretty cool though. I got to see what it feels like to be old and have your groceries pushed out and unloaded. It was really nice of her to do that, even if she was the most aggressive bag girl I have ever seen:-)
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