People amaze me.

I was just sitting here thinking about how people just amaze me.  Not in a good way mind you.  In that way that makes you want to grab them by their shirt and ask them what the hell is wrong with them. 

Take for example the lady I just helped out yesterday.  Now, I will preface this by saying that I understand when money is tight. But there are some things you just should NOT skimp on.   She was looking for a chest clip for her car seat.  The one she had was gone and her child was able to just pull off the straps.  After getting over the shock of the fact that she'd been driving around with her child in a seat that didn't have a chest clip at all, I asked what kind it was and how old it was an all that.  She of course wouldn't tell me straight out, but I guessed from the kind of car seat that it was very old.  Car seats have expiration dates.  You should not use a car seat that is over that date, it is unsafe, you will be found at fault by your insurance company and your child could suffer some nasty injuries from a seat that does not meet all the current safety standards. (especially if it's so old that there were no real tests or standards done on them)  I briefly tried to explain all of this to her, but she just kept saying that they never go anywhere and they didn't have the money for a new one.  I looked at this kid, who was standing up in the basket of the cart, trying to climb out while she wasn't paying attention and felt sorry for him/her.  Obviously the safety of her child was not a priority in this woman's.  I so wanted to slap her and tell her of all the ways she could get help with one and that she was being irresponsible, but I just put the chest clip in her hand and left my guilt trailing behind me. I hope to God she pulls her head out of her ass some time soon and gets something safe for that kiddo. 

Not all of my head shake moments at work are of the sort that you worry about a child living through it's ride home.  Some are laughable. 

The other day I was walking the floor, making sure everyone was alright and I ran across yet another person on their phone.  People are inseparable from their cell phones these days.  It's kind of sad.  This gal was starting her baby registry and was leaning over her cart looking bored with her head mashed into her shoulder to hold up her phone.  I had run across her at least one other time and she had ignored me completely when I had first tried to make sure she was doing okay.  This time she looked up at me and asked me if she could just turn in her registry gun, it was getting in the way of her phone call.  Somehow keeping a straight face I told her of course she could and directed her to the desk. She never put that phone down once, even as she was leaving the store. 

There are more of course, people who tell you they don't need help but are hopelessly lost and just don't want to admit it.  People that break something because they don't want help, then run away.  My least favorite are the ones that think you are the scum of the earth and give you this look when you ask if they are alright, as if you are diseased.  Not all retail workers are out to steal your soul and your wallet to go with. 

With all that, now I must go get ready to go back to the fun of my retail job.