Thoughts on 'the season' so far...

To the hostess at one of the places we love to go to, sorry we inconvenienced you by asking for two whole high chairs and three whole kids menus. Its funny it was almost like we didn't even mention it when we told you about our party size. Patrons can be such a bother sometimes. No worries, at least the manager was nice when the waiter forgot one of our orders.  We really like to eat in shifts anyway.

To the worker at the Petsmart on Val Vista. You were totally right.  What were we thinking? Why would Braden, Berk and I stand right in front of the tank of fish we selected and actually think someone employed at the store would scoop one out for us? I mean its not like we were there only to replace the 4 fish that died after less than 2 weeks -that were also from your store. Silly us.  I hope you disregarded the cries of 'Pish Pish Pish' as we left the store 10 minutes later.

To the clerk at the big W store. Totally a time saver you are! No wonder that line moved so fast that I barely had time to read the entire People before it was my turn! If I knew that I would be asked to show my credit card and my ID, maybe I would have offered them to you before I put them back in my wallet and into my purse. Oh wait I did that and you ignored me and then once I was reaching for my receipt then you asked to see them. ERGH!

To the employee of another big store, the T one this time, you were totally right. Why would you actually want to help a customer when stocking a shelf is clearly better customer service? Especially when I will end up scaling the shelf to reach the too high item before you can even offer to help. 

And finally, to the guy who sped around me from  the opposite direction, you were totally right, I WAS using my blinker to show you there was an open spot. Wasn't it nice of me to wait while that woman unloaded her cart and buckled her kids in just so you could get the LAST spot in the parking lot. No biggie- I can lug my 40 pound kid a few more miles, I need the exercises! 

Okay honestly people! It is Christmas! Remember? 

 Man, I really am very patient with people at the holidays. I worked 4 retail Christmas' at a mall department store no less.  And until you have- you never really get how annoying it is to hear Christmas music start before Halloween and have men yell at you for being sold out of things on Christmas Eve. (Honestly, that last part- true story, my reply- seeing how I had already put my 2 week notice in I may have been a tad sassy-  was, "Sir, you have had 364 days to make your purchase, and that seems to mean it was your poor planning not mine." I may have even winked. I can't remember.  Then I called my manager so he could yell at her about me, and being out of stuff.)  I know you know what I mean if you have served your time in retail. 

But I digress....

My point is this. Be kind. Let the guy with one thing cut you in line, especially if he is holding diapers. That is my personal rule. Smile at the workers, they may have just had someone rip their head off for a matter out of their control.  Drop some coins in those darn red buckets and make those bell ringers day worth the headache. Don't let the little annoyances of rushing around ruin the season.  Be patient. You are busy, but guess what? So is everyone else, including that person behind the register- who is probably thinking that have to shop on their breaks to get it all done in time. Being annoyed does not make the line move faster. Be Christlike. Take every opportunity that could go sour and make it about service and being an example.  Your kids are watching, which is why I quietly let me complaints known to the manager of the pet store before we left, and parked in another spot-ridiculously far away rather than yelling that the jerk guy. I may have thought those things, but I tried not to act them. I want my boys to know that this time is more about a baby in a manger and less about a guy in a red suit, ya know?