Lowes yesterday

[Rorey]

I had ordered something online, and got a notification that it was ready for pickup. I decided to pick up another gallon of paint while I was there. While I was waiting for the paint guy to come over I noticed a little girl, maybe 8 years old, prancing around nearby. She had a candy cigarette! I didn't think those things were still made. She was prancing around acting all smart-assy, pretending she was smoking.

After I dropped off my paint can, I went over to stand in line to get my order. There was that smart-assy little girl again, along with two women, whom I presumed to be her mom and maybe grandmother. They were talking to the person at the pickup counter. The Lowes employees were all wearing masks, but of course none of the smart-assy family was. The older woman proceeded to go AROUND the plexiglass barrier so she could get her germy unmasked face about a foot from the Lowes employee. I don't know if the Lowes employee minded or not, but it irked the hell out of me.

Granted, we aren't required to wear masks when we go in stores here, but to go AROUND the barrier is just so f**king rude.

[doc03]

1. I am guilty of that I can't hear some behind

the damn plexiglass.

[Rorey]

2. I can understand stepping beside the plexiglass for that reason

She went around it and practically nestled with the store employee. I mean, she was completely on the "employees only" side of the counter.

When another employee left to retrieve my order, the smart-assy little girl went behind that counter and proceeded to trot around it repeatedly. She was obviously used to doing whatever she pleased. Neither adult said a thing to her.

I sure didn't raise my kids like that. I remember once when they were all old enough to not have to hold my hand or ride in a cart, and they started acting up. I gave them a warning, and they still didn't behave. I just said, "Let's go". We were buying food, which of course they wanted. They immediately started pleading, saying they'd be good. But, nope. Too late. We went home and I made them a lunch that didn't come close to what they had counted on, and told them that maybe next time they better listen the first time. I never had to deal with them misbehaving in the grocery store again.

They occasionally told me I was a mean mom back then, but now they thank me. They grew up to be fine adults.

[niyad]

3. I know a couple of stores that sell those. They specialize in all the old-fashioned candies

and drinks. Lots of fun.

You were very polite to those women. When the child went behind the counter, I would have been tempted to say, "could the adult in charge please act responsibly."

By the way, my King Soopers now requires masks again.

[Rorey]

4. I like those nostalgia stores

I still wouldn't buy a child in my family candy cigarettes. Besides not liking what they represent, they're just pure sugar that a kid sucks on, which is terrible for their teeth.

I lost my favorite husband almost 29 years ago at the age of 38. He got pneumonia, and then septicemia. The autopsy report stated that his lungs were among the worst they'd ever seen. He was a smoker from the age of young teen. There are a couple of smokers in my family, but they never do it around me. I just can't deal with it.

[niyad]

5. I am with you on the candy cigarettes, for every reason.

I am an allergic non- smoker, have been my whole life. I do not allow it anywhere near me.

[chia]

6. I wouldn't call a little girl smart-assy for doing what kids do, imitating grown-ups. I had candy

cigarettes when I was a kid, and I'm a non-smoker. But I remember having fun pretending I was smoking. What did I know? I was a kid. Maybe give the kids a break?

[Rorey]

7. She was smart-assy without that act

She was running into areas she shouldn't have been, and she was peeling the paper off of her candy cigarette and throwing it into a container that wasn't a trash receptacle. There's a reason kids should be taught to not run in public places, particularly places where they could get hurt.

I used the term "smart-assy" to convey her smart-assiness (attitude), not because she had the candy cigarette.

That said, it seemed pretty obvious that she is a product of poor parenting. There wasn't one word from her mom telling her to stay out of the employee-only area or to stop running or to stop throwing trash wherever she felt like throwing it.

There's no way I'll ever take it upon myself to admonish some else's child in a public place. I sure wanted to say something to the mom (or whatever she was), but I just wasn't in the mood to possibly get punched in the face.

[womanofthehills]

9. At least she did not throw the paper on the floor

Kids are kids - she was probably bored and curious. I hated it as a kid when my mother dragged me shopping. My friend is a teacher in a low income neighborhood and on weekends instead of the parents taking the kids to a park, zoo, event - the kids just say they all went to Walmart. How sad is that! My daughter was such an easy kid but my granddaughter- 0MG!

[Rorey]

10. I'm sure she wasn't thrilled with being at Lowes

The thing is, if a child isn't able to behave appropriately on their own, it's up to the adult to monitor them so they don't get hurt or hurt someone else. It's a home improvement store, and lots of stuff can happen. It goes way beyond being annoying for other customers and employees.

I honestly find it sad that so many people think that young kids should be allowed to almost raise themselves. Then they're baffled when something tragic happens to them.

[MFM008]

8. My son

Works at Lowes. He joined the night crew just to avoid ass hat customers.

[Rorey]

11. I don't blame him

It seems to be worse now than ever.

[AngryOldDem]

12. My son, the same.

He was a cashier in lumber for the longest time and took an unbelievable amount of shit from customers. They would get angry at him because he couldn’t answer complicated questions about tools, products, etc., when his job was only to take money and make change.

He’s now switched to product displays and has little customer interaction, for which he is much happier and grateful. That’s sad, when you think about how civility has become such a forgotten art.

People need to realize that just because a person is working at a store like Lowes, that does not necessarily mean he or she can offer advice on how to build a deck, which tool is best for what job, etc. Respect them when they tell you* so and when they direct you to another employee who can help you. In short, don’t be a dick. You aren’t helping yourself.

* Generic “you,” obviously.

[MFM008]

14. yup

my son worked in tools, paint, lumber, garden, he put in for the MIRT crew( i think that's what it is) and got it. Hes been there since 2003.
Hes unhappy he even has to walk through the store to get to his car.....

[Laffy Kat]

13. At the clinic where I work we also have Plexiglass in front of us.

The sides of the check-in counter do not have the glass to protect us and that's where many patients park themselves to talk to us. We simply tell the patients, nicely, to please step in front of us and the Plexiglass. They most always apologize and move. We also require masks upon entry to the clinic--no mask = no appointment. The other day I had a patient walk over to the unprotected side to check-in and when I asked her to please move to the front she said, "What a silly thing to worry about." I smiled and said, "Not if you have to check-in over 200 people per day." I think she got it and she moved.

[MFM008]

15. did you know they have removed the Plexi glass in some

stores, Safeway/ Alberstons and Fred Meyer to name a couple......here in Western WA
its ok....its all over.........

[Laffy Kat]

16. If management removes our Plexiglass there will be hell to pay from the union.

I'd be fine with the glass staying indefinitely, although I do think they should replace it with something permanent and nicer; it's starting to looking worn and yucky.

[Rhiannon12866]

17. That's the thing.

Now that we're facing what's the most dangerous phase of the pandemic - a more virulent and transmissible variant - everything seems to be "opening up" all over. Here in New York, there was a mask mandate to enter any business for well over a year - and it was enforced - there were one-way aisles in stores and six-foot lines for "social distancing" at checkouts. Everything was closed down that appealed to the seasonal tourists we get here. Last year there was a quarantine for anyone entering the state. But just in time for the Delta variant, everything's "opening up," the mask mandate was rescinded (except for the unvaccinated, "the honor system" ) and the tourists have arrived in droves from even far away states (Florida, Alabama, Utah!) with rarely a mask in sight.