NO ONE IS THIS HAPPY TO SEE ME

JUNE 19, 2005
YOU GO TO A STORE - YOU PUT YOUR HAND ON THE DOOR - BEFORE YOU CAN OPEN THE DOOR MORE THAN 8 INCHES - YOU ARE BEING GREETED - YOU ARE GETTING A BIGGER WELCOME THAN SANTA CLAUS AT AN ORPHANAGE IN LATE DECEMBER. IF YOU ARE DELUSIONAL OR VERY VERY LONELY, YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY THINK A CLERK; MAKING THE MINIMUM WAGE AND HAVING BEEN ON THEIR FEET FOR HOURS, IS REALLY THAT HAPPY TO SEE YOU.
NOW, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO COME HOME FROM A HARD DAY OF AVOIDING PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY AND FIND SERENA WILLIAMS HERE IN HER NIGHTGOWN, PREPARING DINNER -- A PEANUTBUTTER SANDWICH WOULD BE FINE, I DON'T KNOW HER KITCHEN SKILLS AND THEY ARE NOT CRITICAL TO THE RELATIONSHIP --- AND STILL, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MUSTER UP A "HELLO, HOW ARE YOU ?" SUCH AS I GET AT MANY STORES / BUSINESSES.
I DON'T GO TO STORES TO SEEK OUT TEMPORARY OR LASTING FRIENDSHIPS -- I WANT THE PRODUCT AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST TO MY LIMITED FUNDS -- A BIG HELLO WILL NOT MAKE UP FOR:
** A HIGH PRICE TAG
** AN UNAVAILABLE ITEM
** ALMOST DROWNING IN A RAINSTORM COMING INTO THE STORE
** A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT
** RUNNING INTO SOMEONE I OWE MONEY TO, IN AISLE FOUR
** GETTING A PAST DUE BILL NOTICE FROM MY DOCTOR OR ACCOUNTANT --
FOLKS YOU WANT TO BE HAPPY WHEN THEY SEE YOU

NOW, THE CLERKS ARE DOING WHAT THE BOSS TOLD THEM TO DO -- I HAVE NO ARGUMENT WITH THE CLERKS - THE BOSS IS TRYING TO MAKE THE CUSTOMERS FEEL WELCOMED -- I FIGURED THAT OUT.
NOW I WOULD NOT SPEAK TO THE CUSTOMERS, UNTIL THEY ASKED ME SOMETHING, BUT MOST LIKELY, MY BUSINESS WOULD BE CLOSING IN A FEW DAYS IF I RAN IT THIS WAY.
THE GREETING IDEA IS BASICALLY THE WAY TO GO -- THEY COULD TONE IT DOWN IN SOME PLACES, BUT IT IS A SOUND BUSINESS AND SOCIAL PRINCIPLE.
THIS IS MY PROBLEM -->>> I DON'T FEEL I AM OBLIGATED TO EQUAL OR EVEN APPROACH THE BUBBLINESS OF THE STAFF -- IF THEY ARE OVERJOYED TO SEE ME, FINE, MAYBE I AM "ALL THAT."
BUT I CAME TO BUY SOMETHING -- I AM THE CUSTOMER, THE PERSON WHO IS "ALMOST" ALWAYS RIGHT.
ONCE YOU DON'T JOIN IN THE LOVEFEST, YOU ARE LOOKED AT AS THE ENEMY OF TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY.
WHY ARE MY NEW FOUND FRIENDS ANGRY WITH ME - IS IT BECAUSE I AM NOT DOING THAT WHICH THE BOSS TOLD US TO DO ?--- MAYBE MY FRIENDS SHOULD READ THE CHRIS ROCK MANTRA -
WHOA - SLOW DOWN - BACK UP

I AM ON THE CUSTOMER TEAM, NOT THE BUSINESS TEAM - I DON'T HAVE TO PLAY BY THEIR RULES - I DON'T HAVE TO BE PERKY ON DEMAND. I HAVE THE OPTIONS OF JUST PICKING UP A PRODUCT, PAYNG FOR IT ( IF THEY ARE WATCHING ME OR HAVE CAMERAS ) AND LEAVING --- OR I COULD PULL OUT PICTURES OF THE GRANDKIDS AND WAX POETIC ABOUT MY HEROIC DEEDS IN THE GREAT WAR ( I AM FROM BROOKLYN, AND I AM ALIVE, I EARNED MY STRIPES ).
AS THE CUSTOMER , I SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CALL THE SHOTS ON HOW I WANT TO PLAY IT.
HEY, MAYBE IT IS JUST ME - MAYBE I AM JUST A GRUMPY YOUNG MAN, BUT IT IS NOT HELPING ME TO HAVE TO COMBAT "1984" LIKE ENFORCED JOY, JUST TO PURCHASE DONUTS, COOKIES, CANDY, ICE CREAM , POTATO CHIPS AND DIET SODA, ON MY DAILY SHOPPING TRIPS TO PURCHASE FRESH FOOD, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO A GOOD HEALTHY DIET.