Picking up other people's stuff; why should I?

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   SandCastlesposted 10 years ago

   At the grocery store, people have dropped items and then looked at me like I was suppose to pick them up. I don't.  They can pick up their own items. I wouldn't want someone touching my groceries, "Here is your cucumber". What if they hadn't washed their hands?
   
   Or they expect you to put their stuff or other people's stuff away.
   
   A man left his hand-held grocery basket at the till (on the silver part just infront of the moving belt that you put your groceries on) and I didn't touch it. The cashier looked at me like I was suppose to move it yet she said nothing to me or to the man who left it there. Then after taking the man's order, she very deliberately stepped out of her little cubby and around the back of her till and put the basket on the floor and then once back at her till, proceeded to throw my groceries into my bag, cans of stuff that made a loud clattering sound. I complained.
   
   Why do people drop stuff and act like primadonna's who dropped their handkerchief? I don't expect people to pick up my stuff; in fact I don't want them to touch it.

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      amiebutchkoposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      You give it to them Sandcastles!  They are ridiculous and life has to teach them to clean up their own messes or they never will.  It isn't fair people get away with stuff like this because it just reinforces their behavior.  I am sorry that rude clerk threw your groceries around.  A little bit of kindness and customer service wouldn't be too much to ask for!

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         SandCastlesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I agree with you amiebutchko. Thanks for your comments!

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      Say Yes To Lifeposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I suppose you could have picked it up, handed it to them, and said, "Here.  Hope you don't catch my beriberi!"  LOL!

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         SandCastlesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         That's funny!  And then sneeze at them or cough in their face! I think it would be funny to have a fart-making machine that you could squeeze at them as you hand them the item, "Here you go, oops sorry about that". Thanks for your comments.

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         NateB11posted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Lol

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            SandCastlesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            

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      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I think most men would have picked up the cucumber if a woman accidentally dropped it. One would assume people still rinse their fruits and vegetables before eating them! :-)
      
      As for the hand cart I also believe most men would have moved it out of the way for the cashier instead of having her or him having to stop doing their job of ringing up the groceries. Actually it would be because they wanted to speed through their own transaction or not hold up the line.
      
      There will always be people who were spoiled by their parents and never had to clean up after themselves or were never taught to be considerate of others. It's always optional NOT to pick up something or hold a door open for a person walking in behind you. I believe the vast majority of people don't let these things ruin their day and most (men) are accustomed to picking up dropped things (especially for women), moving stuff, and holding doors open....etc

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         SandCastlesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I hold doors open for people sometimes but I don't pick up stuff that others have dropped. You are right, some people do feel entitled and want others to pick up after them.

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            SandCastlesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            P.S. Thanks for commenting dashingscorpio.

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      SandCastlesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      P.S. Just because I wash my fruit and vegetables when I get home does not mean I want a lot of strangers at the store handling my groceries, especially people who go out of their way to handle them.

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         dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         SandCastles, You'd be surprised how much your fruit and vegetables have been handled by strangers even if you don't see it happening.
         
         I bet most shoppers pick up and put back fruit they decide is not ripe enough or unappealing them as they look for their "ideal piece" of fruit or vegetable. You may unconsciously touch produce (yourself) when searching for the "right" fruit for your own table. :-)

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            SandCastlesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            That's true but I don't want to see someone seeking me out to handle my fruit or vegetables. There are weirdo people out there. If somebody drops something that is edible, the person picks it up themselves.

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   psycheskinnerposted 10 years ago

   I think that if helping the other person would be easy for you and relieves them of doing something considerably more difficult, it is just courtesy to do it. 
   
   Like passing an item over the checkout counter to the poor person who has to work back there dealing with more inconsiderate behavior in a day than most people do in a month.

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      SandCastlesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      It depends on the circumstances, that is true. But I don't think people should get stuck in courtesty mode like they are a servant or others will take advantage of you. If someone drops something and then pointedly looks at you and says, "Well aren't you going to pick it up?", and then you you do it, you are behaving like a slave.  Also it is common for con artists to drop something as a ruse to distract you; they play on a person's nice manners. So discernment is the key.  Thanks for your comments.

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         SandCastlesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Also I don't look at cashiers as those 'poor' people; that is an insult to them. What's wrong with a person being a cashier? To give someone a piting smile, "Here's the little basket, I bet I made your day didn't I"?", is a bit patronizing. And people have to learn to ask for what they want too. And sometimes a person decides not to pick up the basket because they are practicing their right to say no (physically, through action). That is important for people who have had problems setting boundaries. If a person finds they are always picking things up, always acting as servant, sometimes decide not to; own your right to not do it. Because how is not picking up someone's lettuce really hurting them? Or not putting away someone else's a hand-held grocery basket? And when I help people, I don't just look at what is easy for me.  At the grocery, I saw a dog who looked abandoned, sitting by the store entrance. It was a cold night. He came into the store using the sliding entrance and was whining. I left my groceries (that I'd payed for) in the street to help the dog. I took off my scarf and used it as a leash and went to customer service and had the manager page the owner. We waited for about 30 minutes and then I took the dog home with me, leaving the number with the store. And I reunited the dog with his owner. So it isn't about not helping or only helping when it is convenient or easy. But it is about using discernment.

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            SandCastlesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I'd rather help a dog than pick up somebody's lettuce. If I sound like I am patting myself on the back, I'm don't mean it. I was watching my groceries with one eye too. It was around Christmas and I'd just purchased a turkey. I'm not saying I'm this great superhero; I'm saying help when it is not convenient. Help those who really need it. And setting boundaries doesn't mean you are rude either. Just my opinions.

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      SandCastlesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      P. S. Thanks for commenting psycheskinner.

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