Its a sad day

I just learned the happiest safeway employee has put in her 2 week notice. She always greets me with a smile. She is only 17. The world has yet to harden her soul to humanity. I knew awhile back that she would not be employed at Safeway for very long. Her personality oozes of friendliness and niceness. That kind of talent will eventually find its way to other bigger and better employment. But I didn't think it would be this soon.


2 weeks ago, I bought a few things. The cashier, a middle aged lady, smiled and said hello to me. Was pretty friendly. Now I don't know if she recognized me. But I'm at Safeway everyday around the same time. You pretty much must see me when you go in and out of the employee break room.
Well, the next day, I went out front to the smoking area. And I noticed the cashier was there also, taking a break. Smoking her cigarrette. So I decided to be friendly and make a comment to her. I said "Don't you ever wish we didn't have to smoke right here? I feel bad some people have to walk around us to avoid the smoke."
The cashier at first didn't give any sign of hearing me. Then she looked at me. No expression. No response. And looked back forward.


See, there is the "Paid Friendliness" and there is the "Genuine Friendliness". My favorite Safeway employee had the "Genuine Friendliness" and now she will be gone.

abandoned car

Ok Safeway people. Its the 3rd day, a red car is abandoned in a handicaped parking space. The car is right in front. He parked it in an angel. He took up 2 handicapped spaces. I've actually talked to him the day he left it there. He's got a few mental problems. It was really hard to understand him. He thinks I'm Native Indian. He took all his belongings out of the car.

Its time to tow it.

A Liter of Coke a day

A lanky mentally disabled homeless man comes in almost everyday. He walks very slowly with a limp. When he sits down, he rocks back and forth on his chair. Once, I had the disadvantage of being on the table behind him. He rocked back and forth so hard, his chair moved back and bumps my table. I had to move my table back.

I've never taken a real good look at the man. He is older. clothe are dirty everyday. But with most mentally disabled people, I try not to stare. I understand sometimes it spooks them.

But nothing about the man has ever seemed noteworthy to me, until today.

I've just noticed something about him today. When he comes in. He always get a liter of Coke. And he sits there and chugs down that liter of Coke until its empty. That's all he eats. Its all he drinks. 1 liter of that coke everyday. And of course he leaves the empty bottle and bag for someone to clean up after him.

Its never Pepsi. And come to think about it. I believe he uses the same chair everytime.

We are creatures of habit.