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I think I may have gone over to the dark side.
And I really liked it.
I'm not sure how to process my odd reaction to something that happened. This was just before the virus shutdown and it's still on my mind.
I was grocery shopping, not in the store I work in, but in another store my company has across town. I was in the checkout line. The clerk was scanning my stuff. The store was fairly busy. Suddenly, a disheveled man pushing a shopping cart overflowing with groceries darted out of an aisle and straight out the entrance. It only took an instant.
Because of the way the cashier stations are oriented, the shoplifter was not in their line of site. He was, however, in my line of sight, and of any other customer who might have been looking up at the right moment. I looked around, and no one else had noticed.
This should be the part where I tell you how upset I was at what I had just witnessed. After all, a person just stole a lot of stuff from my employer and got away with it. A few years ago, I would have felt some anger, and frustration. But, that's not what happened this time. After the thief ran out the door and I realized no one noticed, I burst out laughing. Like, really loud too, not just a giggle or chuckle. It felt good. And the only thought going through my mind was "Good for you."
Later, I felt a bit confused, even slightly ashamed. I'm guessing this unexpected response is a result of the past few years, where I had a few managers that were unreasonable to the extreme. They caused me more work related stress in 2 years than the previous 25 years combined. I was aware that my feelings for my employer had changed as a result. My response to this shoplifter tells me that the change may go deeper than I realized. While I still don't want to see people stealing, obviously, it does not bother me like it once did.
And I really liked it.
I'm not sure how to process my odd reaction to something that happened. This was just before the virus shutdown and it's still on my mind.
I was grocery shopping, not in the store I work in, but in another store my company has across town. I was in the checkout line. The clerk was scanning my stuff. The store was fairly busy. Suddenly, a disheveled man pushing a shopping cart overflowing with groceries darted out of an aisle and straight out the entrance. It only took an instant.
Because of the way the cashier stations are oriented, the shoplifter was not in their line of site. He was, however, in my line of sight, and of any other customer who might have been looking up at the right moment. I looked around, and no one else had noticed.
This should be the part where I tell you how upset I was at what I had just witnessed. After all, a person just stole a lot of stuff from my employer and got away with it. A few years ago, I would have felt some anger, and frustration. But, that's not what happened this time. After the thief ran out the door and I realized no one noticed, I burst out laughing. Like, really loud too, not just a giggle or chuckle. It felt good. And the only thought going through my mind was "Good for you."
Later, I felt a bit confused, even slightly ashamed. I'm guessing this unexpected response is a result of the past few years, where I had a few managers that were unreasonable to the extreme. They caused me more work related stress in 2 years than the previous 25 years combined. I was aware that my feelings for my employer had changed as a result. My response to this shoplifter tells me that the change may go deeper than I realized. While I still don't want to see people stealing, obviously, it does not bother me like it once did.
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