Every market I've ever worked at had a collection of canes in its lost and found collection. Unfortunately, the elderly have a tendency to hang their canes on the edge of the shopping carts or on the edge of the checkout counter. They leave without it, and by the time we notice the cane hanging there, they are long gone. So off to the lost and found closet it goes.
The clientele at the market I work at now is generally older. We currently have about 15 canes in the lost and found collection. So this older guy (OG) approaches me about his missing cane.
OG: Excuse me. I hope you can help me. I lost my cane yesterday, and I'm pretty sure I left it here at this store.
Me: Sure, I can help you. I'll take you over to where we keep lost items. Can you describe it? Anything unusual about it?
OG: Not really, just a regular wood cane.
Me: Ok. We keep them in this locker here. (I open it for him.) Do you see yours in here?
OG: What the hell? Why do you guys have so many friggin canes? Don't you give them back to people? These aren't yours to keep!! What the heck!
Me: I'm sorry sir. People leave them behind all the time, and unfortunately, they just don't come back to pick them up. And if there is no contact info on it, there's nothing we can do except hold it.
OG: But they need these!! They don't belong to you. What are you guys trying to do here?
Me: Um.....sir....do you see your cane in here?
OG: Yeah. It's that one on the end. (He reaches in and takes it.) I'm not going to let you get away with STEALING MINE!!!
I really didn't know how to respond to that, so I said nothing as he turned and left. He seemed like a very unpleasant fellow, so I was happy to see him go.
The clientele at the market I work at now is generally older. We currently have about 15 canes in the lost and found collection. So this older guy (OG) approaches me about his missing cane.
OG: Excuse me. I hope you can help me. I lost my cane yesterday, and I'm pretty sure I left it here at this store.
Me: Sure, I can help you. I'll take you over to where we keep lost items. Can you describe it? Anything unusual about it?
OG: Not really, just a regular wood cane.
Me: Ok. We keep them in this locker here. (I open it for him.) Do you see yours in here?
OG: What the hell? Why do you guys have so many friggin canes? Don't you give them back to people? These aren't yours to keep!! What the heck!
Me: I'm sorry sir. People leave them behind all the time, and unfortunately, they just don't come back to pick them up. And if there is no contact info on it, there's nothing we can do except hold it.
OG: But they need these!! They don't belong to you. What are you guys trying to do here?
Me: Um.....sir....do you see your cane in here?
OG: Yeah. It's that one on the end. (He reaches in and takes it.) I'm not going to let you get away with STEALING MINE!!!
I really didn't know how to respond to that, so I said nothing as he turned and left. He seemed like a very unpleasant fellow, so I was happy to see him go.
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