My favorite bag boy turned 80 a few months ago. He may move at the speed of a gentle breeze but he's still moving. He has Parkinson's disease but has it pretty well under control, moving in short, slightly shuffling steps. He knows how I like my things bagged. He knows I don't like hot weather. When he's there we have a nice chat, particularly if he's working my favorite check out lady's register. I never make him take my things to the car. Few people do, except the very elderly ladies. I keep it even by never letting anyone carry them out. I never help him bag to move things along. I have plenty of time. It's an unspoken camaraderie among the regular patrons. And they are watching. The store was recently bought out. Several new faces showed up. There is a reason some lines are always full while others just get the stragglers.
One of the reasons I shop at my grocery store, instead of "Bright Lights Big City Supermarket" where Middlest actually works, is that I like the quirkiness of my store. The flower lady behind her counter intoning, "Thank you for shopping with us today", like the greeter at a haunted morgue attraction, complete with a strange little smile on her face. My favorite checkout lady, who knows what all my kids are up to. She's been around long enough to be a manager but she seems to prefer check out. Catching up with her regulars. Sometimes they put her on the 'under 10 items' register because everyone flocks to her line and the others are empty. Sometimes I get the other bag boy, who was fired from BLBC Supermarket. He is an articulate and personable young man, extremely courteous and helpful and completely lacking any kind of filter between his brain and his mouth. The other day when I refused his offer of help to the car, my favorite checkout lady said in a pleading voice, Please let him! Get him away from me for a few minutes. : ) There is my second favorite checkout lady who has been there for 35 years and who I know personally enough to know that she used to think people were following her and watching her with cameras. She's in her fifties, She lives with her mother. She's very good at her job. Also the rather bumbling store manager, who sometimes forgets to shave and often seems to be wandering the aisles aimlessly like he's lost. He always asks, "Are you finding everything alright?" I'm sometimes tempted to answer, Yes, have you found your way out of here yet? The other day in the snack aisle I overheard one employee approach another and quietly ask, "Have you seen the mail bag?" "No, Why?" The first replied, "It had the payroll in it." As I traveled through the store the news and questions followed me in frantic whispers. Up front? In the back? Ask so & so. What about...? I sure hope they found it : ) They are under scrutiny. Everyone needs to be on their best game.
I was very pleased last week when I arrived at the register and saw my favorite bag boy, shuffling over as quick as he could to beat 'Filterless'. It has been several weeks since I saw him and I was afraid he might be ill or something had happened to him. I noticed he looked gaunt. He is not a 'little old man.' He has a full head of white hair and is over six feet tall with a large frame and only the slightest slope to his shoulders. This made the new thinness stand out, the skin on his face sagging, his large wrist bones protruding. I was sure he must have been in the hospital. I knew he wasn't on a vacation. I remembered a few years ago when he tried to go off his very expensive Parkinson's medications. His Insurance doesn't cover all of it and he wanted to save money. Within weeks he degenerated to the point of being in a scooter chair and it was a couple of months before he was straightened out enough to return to work. He lives alone. He's a Marine Corp veteran. He doesn't work there because he's bored and wants something to do. As he began pulling bags out I asked, "Where have you been?" I was floored when he answered, "They cut my hours back. I've only been getting about six a week...and they want you to check it on the computer now...I used to be able to call in and find out my schedule....now it's all on the Internet"...his voice trailed off.
I see.
My favorite bag boy cannot afford the Internet not to mention a computer to find out when he's supposed to work. He can't afford to work fewer hours. He hasn't lost so much weight because he's been sick. And This.....is scary. This makes me feel angry and powerless. This..is wrong..
UPDATE: I was very touched by the outpouring of concern this post inspired. I wanted to let everyone know that my general busybody-ness and butting into other peoples business, did lead me to find out that though the situation isn't perfect, it's under control. It's still wrong, but for the time being things will be OK. In sweeter news-my bag boy has a new girlfriend- she's adorable!
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Oh wow, this makes me so sad. How could they treat him like that? it disgusts me that they'd switch entirely to the internet without consideration for their employees xx
ReplyDeleteI know! And cutting his time! No one cares if he moves slow.
DeleteThis post has two very different tragic messages which interlink.
ReplyDeleteThat this poor guy is 80 and still needs to work is tragic and unfair. My grandfather had Parkinsons, it's a nasty, nasty disease. I miss him.
The other thing - Customer service - does no one get what good customer service is anymore? Some of us still want to be served by people who know us, who know our preferecnes, who talk to us like human beings and vice versa. Not come automated twit who won't even talk to us and has no idea who we are.
You have that right. The Parkinsons and the customer service. They ought to try a survey about what their customers really like about the store.
DeleteThis is so sweet and so sad.
ReplyDeleteOur local grocery store (I suspect it's the BLBC chain - the green one with the big P?) has a bagger like that. He's...slow. I'm not sure what his medical condition is - it's not obvious - but he is a sweet boy (25?) and always remembers me. He doesn't bag quickly and he talks a lot. Sometimes it's hard to follow what he's saying. But I love how patient everyone at this store is with him and I love seeing how much he loves his job.
Sometimes things just break my heart. He's one of them.
Yes. Mid works at the deli in the Big P ; ) I like to see the young people doing what they are able to. I have a nephew with special needs and I hope that one day he'll be able to work at something that gives him a feeling of having a purpose : )
DeleteOh, this makes my heart ache a bit....when the ones that purchased our freedom with sacrifice are disrespected, I wonder what world we're creating. So sorry to hear.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's so frustrating!
DeleteOh my gosh.
ReplyDeleteSo much pain in the world, so much we wish we could do. It's so hard to sit and watch.
Can you check his schedule for him? Or tell the manager? I think he's afraid to ask...
I think they might have told him, tough luck, on checking his schedule. I'm going to get with my check out lady to find out what she knows. I think if she is aware of it she will make sure he gets the info he needs.
DeleteBless his heart and yours for caring so much. Perhaps someone with a computer could set up a buddy system and help him out by checking and calling him? Wonder if word of mouth by customer appreciation, could help him get more hours?
ReplyDeleteI think that would be a great idea!
DeleteAs much as I go to the store....we don't have any community feel stores besides my Aldi. The manager there is so nice. I don't go to Jewel often so I don' t know any elderly workers well.
ReplyDeleteNicole, When I read that all I could imagine was a grocery store with nothiong but senior citizens working ; ) Sounds like my kind of place!
DeleteThat breaks my heart. I hate to see the elderly reduced to "skimping" on their meds, and worried about money all the time. I wish there was something that could be done to help him and others in his position.
ReplyDeleteMe too Linda. I wish I knew the answers. My guess is that a magic wand would be the only option.
DeleteThat's heartbreaking. Capitalism an be so inhumane.
ReplyDeleteYes Marita, on an individual level it certainly can! But here is the bigger picture. Because of the economic crisis, our area has not been able to sustain multiple grocery chains. This store has been supplying numerous jobs in our area for years. They have always been locally focused and actually very good to their employees but were at risk of complete closure. The buyout company is a smaller entity which is expanding. A risky venture at all in this climate. They can only do what they can do in order for the stores to stay open at all and provide as many jobs as possible. As a business owner myself, my point of view follows Economic liberalism. But the situation is a shame and I believe the local management should be exercising some flexibility.
DeleteThere has to be something that the community can do whether a letter writing campaign or a boycott or something! Maybe getting the local news stations involved. Businesses hate it when we do that around here. But, if you don't want the attention, try to be more compassionate.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the gentleman himself would like the fuss : )But, a few quiet words from some regular patrons might be helpful and that can most certainly be done!
DeleteUgh. How awful. It's true, he's probably too proud to want attention. But it's not right.
ReplyDeleteNo it isn't. I'll be slipping a little extra tip, whenever I can, for what it's worth.
Deletea Catholic charity near him will help, but you would have to ask his permission first, and he would have to agree to receiving help.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea Annamarie! I'm trying not to seem nosy (even though I am) about his situation. But I can put a bug in the ear of the people he works with that may be able to approach him with options because they know him better.
DeleteI've missed your blogs! Haven't read any in months and months. I love how you know so much about the people you come in contact with in your life. I think too many people don't take the time to even notice the people who help us day to day. I'm glad you do. Heartbreaking about your favorite bag boy.
ReplyDeleteThank you : ) I'm a creature of habit and repetition breeds familiarity. My favorites even know that I have a system of loading my cart that leads to a certain order on the counter that leads to particular things being bagged together to be organized in my car right and carried into the house in sequence. Which is why I love them. (In other words they know I'm OCD and don't judge me for it ; )
DeleteWhat a story, I'm so glad you took the time to post it. I teared up, of course. It's so difficult to watch those who used to be strong and resilient become vulnerable. I hope he, and the other elders in our communities, is able to get support from those around him. Thank you again for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI recently moved to France, and I have found a favorite grocery storeas well. It's small, just down a cobblestone pedestrian street from my apartment, and I already know two of the cashiers. In Europe people don't switch jobs as quickly as we do in North America, and so I imagine these ladies have been in that store for decades. It's kinda nice!
That sounds lovely! That is what I like about this store too. Though some faces come and go it is a relatively small town and some of the emplyees have been there ever since I can remember : )
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