"Gotta make those people *earn* their money!"

[ThinMick]

I thank the gods that my grandmother refuses to walk unless she absolutely has to. This weekend, I went to visit her, and she needed a battery for a widget. Simple enough -- I've got the same object and I know exactly what kind of battery it takes, where it is in the store, and how to install it.

She then tells me she wants to go to the store, hand the object to some poor clerk, and make him change the battery for her. "I'm the customer, and when I shop, I want customer service! Gotta make those people *earn* their money! They shouldn't get paid just to stand around all day!"

I opened my mouth and then closed it a few times. Just stood there gaping like a fish. "You know," I finally said, "it would never have crossed my mind to do it that way. DIY or die, and all that. Guess I'm just a die-hard."

So, she drives to the store and my cousin and I go get the battery and install it for her. She complains the whole way home about how awful it will be if we installed it wrong, and what will she do if it's broken now because we did it.

I just want to point out that it's one of those "open battery flap, take out old battery, put in new battery" sort of deals. It's also a calculator battery, so it's pretty hard to put in the wrong way... printed side goes up and all.

I offer my sincerest apologies to any shop clerks in Melbourne and/or West Palm. I had no idea she was like that until this weekend.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Seniors often tend to get a little on the obsessive side. Or a lot on the obsessive side. I do not know why that is. I just know me and my mom and my sister drink a lot on the holdiays. It helps us stay in our happy place.

Hours upon hours of an old lady harping on the same non-issue can make you a little crazy. Even when its someone you love dearly.

[Worker-Intellectual]

Gotta make those people *earn* their money! They shouldn't get paid just to stand around all day!

Has anyone told her how much retail employees make sometime in the last 50 years?

[powerboy]

I done that once. I saw one of my buddies working the day that I went in. So I made him do a lot of things.. Mind you he was working for Dennys at the time. I didn't leave a tip, and a couple of days later, I gave him a $10.00 tip. I told him that he earned it, we both laughed about that one

[Retail Associate]

Seniors often tend to get a little on the obsessive side. Or a lot on the obsessive side. I do not know why that is. I just know me and my mom and my sister drink a lot on the holdiays. It helps us stay in our happy place.

Hours upon hours of an old lady harping on the same non-issue can make you a little crazy. Even when its someone you love dearly.

Most of these old biddies never had to work a day in their lives. They're 'Queen of their Universe' and expect to be treated as such. I cover the jewelry counter after the jewelry divas leave for the day. 90% of what I do up there is replace the batteries in expensive watches for old biddies. I hate it!

[protege]

90% of what I do up there is replace the batteries in expensive watches for old biddies. I hate it!

Keep in mind that some of those "old biddies" may have arthritis, and simply can't do things like that. My grandmother has it pretty bad, but at least she's nice about it. She's also losing her vision, and sometimes can't see small things.

I could do it, as I have many of the same tools jewelers do. However, watches aren't my thing

[ThinMick]

The old biddy in question spent thirty years on the NYPD. I'm pretty sure that it's the years as a cop that give her the entitlement complex.

[Giggle Goose]

Whenever I go out to eat with my grandmother, she tips so bad that I usually pretend that I have to go back inside and use the bathroom or something when I'm really giving more money to the poor server!!!

[CherryB]

My Grandmother was so bad in her later years that my Mom would call the store (or stores) ahead of time to see what cashier's were working so she could steer GM to a cashier who was willing to not kill my GM for being so rude.

My Mom would then help GM out to the car, and once she had her settled in the car, would go back in to the store on the pretext of having forgotten something to apologize for GM's awful behaviour.

My GM was one of those who never worked a day in her life and thought all store clerks were paid to take her abuse.

She passed away in 1999 and whereever she ended up I am sure she is giving someone hell.

[blas]

I have a problem with a lot of elderly people. Not just with their (lack of) driving skills (hey, every time I go to Wal-Mart or the mall, I always nearly get killed by some old bitty asleep at the wheel, steering with her nose).

Old people are very entitlement minded and very rude. They demand respect for being older and *wiser* than us. I refuse to respect any elderly people that quickly judge me as a "punk" or "useless youth" or "druggie", because not all young people are like that. Respect works two ways, Wilmer and Edna, you want respect, you give it.

If they would get rid of their damn tunnel vision and see just how hard working and goal oriented some young people are, maybe we'd loosen up on their horrible driving skills and their foul attitudes.

[ArenaBoy]

Keep in mind that there are some old folks who worked plenty in their lives also, my great-grandmother is a perfect example. She grew up VERY poor and going out to eat was considered a rarity and she worked as much as possible. She also went through the depression and said that life was hard and I sympathize. There are old folks who have never worked a day in their lives yes but there are also those who had to work their butts off, heck some of the guys I work with are in their 60s and they're quite nice. Oh, and my great-grandmother tips quite well and is not an SC at all, she treats everyone with respect. It's my mom retail workers need to watch out for, she has some of the most ridiculous standards I've ever seen.

[BunnyJas]

Whenever I go out to eat with my grandmother, she tips so bad that I usually pretend that I have to go back inside and use the bathroom or something when I'm really giving more money to the poor server!!!

Hehe! That was my grandfather too! No matter how much the meal cost or how good the service was he would always tip a dollar and God help you if he saw you trying to add more to the tip. After he put down his dollar, my aunt would always slip me a few more dollars and lead him out the door. I would quickly throw the money on the table as soon as his back was turned.

My grandfather was a very nice, wonderful man who lived through the depression era. He worked very hard for most of his life to support himself and his family. He was always kind to everyone and always treated them with politeness even when they didn't deserve it. As a result of living through those years, it was hard for him to understand that a dollar just wasn't worth as much in the 1990's as it was in the 1930's.