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Childishness: Customers Fighting with Each Other
In the moment, this was awkward. Now, I find it really quite amusing.
Setting:
I'm talking to an older couple about desktop computers. Let's call them Frank and Rose. I would guess that they were both in their late 60s. Behind us is the computer speaker display (which is actually working, for a change), but none of the speakers are on at the moment. As Frank and Rose are examining one desktop that had captured their interest, a younger couple, probably in their late 20s appears to look at the speakers. Let's call them Chris and Mandi.
Chris pushed the demo button on one speaker set. It came on, relatively quietly, at about 25% of its full volume capability. Rose was startled, jumped a bit, and turned around. When she saw where the noise was coming from, she "humphed" and gave Chris a cat-butt face, then went back to looking at the computer. I started explaining something more about the software.
Chris shut off that speaker set, looked around, selected another one, and pushed its demo button. Rose jumped again and turned as if to smack the nearest person with the notepad in her hand, but she stopped short and huffed again in aggravation. Then I played witness to the following exchange.
Rose: (turning part way to Chris but never making eye contact) Excuse me!
Chris: ... It's okay. I didn't smell anything.
*pause*
Rose: I'm trying to get information about this computer.
Chris: I'm not stopping you.
*pause*
*Chris demos another speaker set*
Rose: If you would just stop playing your stupid music!
Chris: All I did was push the button.
*pause*
Rose: You need to go somewhere else for a while.
Chris: No, I don't.
*pause*
Rose: Yes, you do! You're being a nuisance.
Chris: I'm just shopping!
*pause*
Rose: Well, you don't have to do it while I'm here.
Chris: Maybe you should get out of this aisle and let someone else have a turn!
At that point, I interrupted and asked Frank, who'd been playing the redesigned Solitaire that comes with Windows Vista, oblivious to the whole argument, if he'd like to see the printer that came with that computer package. He did, so we all went to the printer aisle. Mandi didn't say a word the whole time either, but her face did turn an interesting shade of red.
I just thought it was funny. Two adult customers turning into bratty, bickering children, all over a few feet of space in an aisle in an electronics store and who had more right to be there.
Setting:
I'm talking to an older couple about desktop computers. Let's call them Frank and Rose. I would guess that they were both in their late 60s. Behind us is the computer speaker display (which is actually working, for a change), but none of the speakers are on at the moment. As Frank and Rose are examining one desktop that had captured their interest, a younger couple, probably in their late 20s appears to look at the speakers. Let's call them Chris and Mandi.
Chris pushed the demo button on one speaker set. It came on, relatively quietly, at about 25% of its full volume capability. Rose was startled, jumped a bit, and turned around. When she saw where the noise was coming from, she "humphed" and gave Chris a cat-butt face, then went back to looking at the computer. I started explaining something more about the software.
Chris shut off that speaker set, looked around, selected another one, and pushed its demo button. Rose jumped again and turned as if to smack the nearest person with the notepad in her hand, but she stopped short and huffed again in aggravation. Then I played witness to the following exchange.
Rose: (turning part way to Chris but never making eye contact) Excuse me!
Chris: ... It's okay. I didn't smell anything.
*pause*
Rose: I'm trying to get information about this computer.
Chris: I'm not stopping you.
*pause*
*Chris demos another speaker set*
Rose: If you would just stop playing your stupid music!
Chris: All I did was push the button.
*pause*
Rose: You need to go somewhere else for a while.
Chris: No, I don't.
*pause*
Rose: Yes, you do! You're being a nuisance.
Chris: I'm just shopping!
*pause*
Rose: Well, you don't have to do it while I'm here.
Chris: Maybe you should get out of this aisle and let someone else have a turn!
At that point, I interrupted and asked Frank, who'd been playing the redesigned Solitaire that comes with Windows Vista, oblivious to the whole argument, if he'd like to see the printer that came with that computer package. He did, so we all went to the printer aisle. Mandi didn't say a word the whole time either, but her face did turn an interesting shade of red.
I just thought it was funny. Two adult customers turning into bratty, bickering children, all over a few feet of space in an aisle in an electronics store and who had more right to be there.
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