Friday, March 6, 2015

An Incident at the Grocery Store


I think my "bronchitis" is actually just a minor, garden-variety cold. This morning it's more in my nose and throat than in my chest. So I have high hopes it will subside before our upcoming trip. My boss basically pleaded with me not to call in sick today, so I guess I'm going to work, too! (I'd go anyway. My rule is, unless I have a fever, I go in.)

We had a strenuously busy day yesterday. It was our visiting author's final day and I was trying to coordinate the signing of about a zillion books that people had purchased and left for her to sign. For the most part it went well. One of the books got lost somewhere in the mix, and how that happened I am not sure, but it was no big deal and we solved the problem in the end. The author was so gracious and patient. She was terrific.

Here's an exchange Dave and I had late in the day, while I was at work and he was at the grocery store:



I think that "Beer before liquor" saying only really applies after the liquor is drunk...but who knows? Maybe he was buying his second bottle. (In case you don't know it, the other half of the expression is "Liquor before beer, in the clear." One of those handy college rhymes.)

I should probably have been more compassionate. But the people I'm really feeling compassion for are the Tesco cleaners.

Finally, a couple of interesting items in the news:

-- The stories about the Justice Department's investigation of the police activity in Ferguson continue to astound. Turns out the place is a real rat's nest of racism and injustice, a system run by whites that basically milks the local black community for revenue. Appalling! And the scary thing is, this is just one community that happened to get caught. You know there are hundreds and hundreds of other Fergusons out there.

-- Did you see that Ringling Brothers is doing away with its elephant acts? Animal acts in circuses seem so archaic, and the cynical part of me suspects that this decision is more economic than based in any concern for the elephants. But from what I understand they'll win anyway, and be allowed to live real elephant lives in retirement in Florida. A positive step.

-- And then there's this. Which is BS, to put it bluntly. If you are in business, you should be prepared to serve the public in all its diversity. Why you would feel it your obligation to subject each and every customer to a vetting process based on your own conscience and religious convictions is perplexing to me. You don't have to agree with your customers, do you? You're just providing a service in exchange for payment.

(Photo: Shadows on Finchley Road in Swiss Cottage, on Tuesday.)

8 comments:

e said...

I feel sorry for all concerned in that grocery store situation. I once witnessed an older gentleman have an episode of fecal incontinence in my local store....He appeared to be crying as he was apologizing to the manager, who was very nice about it...

Anything can happen anywhere.Happy weekend to you.

Steve Reed said...

E: Oh, yikes. That would be a different situation in my book. But you're right -- life is always unpredictable.

Marty said...

The news from Ferguson in like traveling in a time machine back to, what?, the 1930s? (Not to mention the thinking behind that bill in your last bit of news.) Except I fear you're right and there are other hidden stories like that through the country.
The beginning of your post put me in mind of Dorothy Parker.
"Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker."

Ms. Moon said...

Ah, the things that happen in grocery stores. Which are not as bad as the things that happen in bar restrooms but that's a whole other story.
You and I are political twins, I believe. And our opinions about religion are about the same too, it would seem. When we met, I didn't even feel the need to discuss either one. It was like, "Yep. We are kindred!"
Glad you "only" have a cold. Rest up this weekend.

Sharon said...

That news about Ferguson was highly disturbing as is the news about the businesses who want to refuse service to people. I never will understand how some people can be so positive they are right and everyone else is wrong.
Speaking of Ferguson, last night I watched the most recent episode of "Scandal" a TV show about Washington politics taken to fictional extremes. Last night's show was very timely and very realistic about a young unarmed black man who is shot and killed by police. It was very impactful. Well, impactful to thoughtful people this is.

ellen abbott said...

Throwing up in the store happened to me once. I was maybe 22, taking birth control pills and they always made me so nauseated the first two days of a new cycle and I was on my lunch break from a job where I had to stand all day and had gone to a small corner grocery store to get something for lunch it it just overcame me, couldn't get outside. I was so mortified I just put my small purchase to be down and fled the store.

re the stories...hopefully shining the light of day on Ferguson will be the start of something better but somehow I doubt it. elephants are so intelligent. I always loved seeing them. No one raises a stink when horses and dogs are trained to do tricks so why do we feel so differently with elephants and the big cats? and finally I fail to see how engaging in a monetary exchange for services attacks someone's religious principles. I'm pretty sure the religious restrictions stop at not engaging in the proscribed behavior. no where does scripture say that engaging in business dealings with gays is forbidden.

The Bug said...

I laughed & laughed at the text exchange. Word. Snicker. Yes, I AM a 12 year old boy at heart.

Steve Reed said...

Marty: Isn't it? It's shocking how retrograde some people are. DP would have handled that episode with much more wit, I suspect. :)

Ms Moon: Yeah, we see pretty much eye-to-eye on those subjects. Didn't we knock Rick Scott a little bit? :)

Sharon: I haven't heard of "Scandal." Need to check it out!

Ellen: Oh, man. I guess people who run grocery stores (or any public place) have to be prepared for anything. I'm sorry that happened to you! I think performing horses and dogs are a little different because they're domesticated animals. I don't think they have the same wild instincts. But admittedly there is a double-standard.

Bug: So is Dave. I am forever teasing him about his middle-school sense of humor.