Dear Hudson Valley Shopper: Please Get Off Your Phone and Shop
Since I know that someone is going to call me a “Karen”, I’ll say I’m sorry now, but I think I have a very valid complaint here. I don’t care if you have a phone conversation in a store while you're shopping. If you don’t mind the rest of the shoppers knowing your business, then why should I? It’s when that phone call prevents you from paying attention to your shopping and it affects other shoppers. That’s exactly what happened to me.
Let me set the scene. I’m at my favorite Dutchess County health food store. The store has a special area for their bulk products, and it’s like an open separate room. It’s not a huge space and you have to get your bag, write down the code number of the item you’re buying, and then fill the bag with the item. Most people get in there, get their stuff, and get out. Especially if there are other shoppers in the bulk area. That’s what most people do.
The other day, I was shopping at the store and saw a lady on her phone in the exact area of the bulk items where I needed to go. She was blocking the bags and the twist ties where you put the codes. She was also blocking several bulk items. No big deal, I'll do some shopping and circle back. Which is what I did, but she was still in the same corner and still hadn’t filled even one bag. She was too busy talking on the phone. I decided to get my refrigerated and frozen stuff and come back. I did just that, and she was still there. Not wanting my cold stuff to get warm, I barged into the corner of the bulk item area with my cart, loudly said excuse me, and pushed my way into the corner.
Did she give me a dirty look? Yes. Do I care? No, she was being rude. I quickly got my sunflower seeds, coconut flakes, and dark chocolate dollops and got out of there with my cold stuff still cold. And I don’t think the phone lady ended up getting anything in the bulk section. Except for a phone call.