General transcript to podcast (podcast coming soon)
Public Places, So much can Go Wrong If we Don't Use Manners
Anything can happen in public places. These are places anyone can walk into, move through, standing in, eating at and so on. There is potential for meeting anyone from a future friend to a psycho. This is why it’s so crucial to be aware of yourself as well as your surroundings. Of course I’m not suggestion one becomes paranoid but being savvy goes a long way.
Oh No Moments
Around the clock and the woman’s purse taken but retrieved
Examples:
The Fifth Ave thief,
shopping a shopper clearly did not fit in.
Insanity at Pharmacy Store Duane Reade incident
As I was in the middle of writing this, I was doing one of my passions which is creating events to bring people together for various reasons to celebrate life. One of the celebrations was a birthday and it was an action packed night of activity. It was at a great NYC venue and I stayed until closing so get paid. I stayed after closing with staff and owner to review the night and wind down but I realized it was 4 am and I was taking public transportation. I also realized I HAD to go to the 24 hr Duane Reade in Times Square to get some things I really needed for home. I went with the birthday guest and quickly realized the store had closed the bottom floor where the things I needed were.
I saw what looked like a male staff member who simply said “It’s closed”, I responded with “do you know why, I really need some things.” he repeated, “it’s closed”. I peeked down the escalator but off hence “closed”. The staff member was with two young women and I just wanted to know why and how long it would be closed so I asked them as a group, “are you guys together,so maybe one of them could go get a single item (as in are they staff too)” and that is when things took a turn for the worse.
One of them went on the attack. She barked “Why you asking that because we’re Black? I was stunned, “What?!” I said shocked, her shorter companion jumped right in, “Why you gotta be racist for?”
I could not believe my ears. “I said I just want to go guy something I thought you worked together”
That went on death ears as they moved towards me, “No bitch you are saying that because you see three black people we automatically have to be together”
I was exhausted, hungry, concerned about going home alone at this time and I just couldn’t believe what was happening in the city I was born and raised in 2013 (this was a few years ago), I didn’t have time to be a lady, “What the fuck are you talking about get out of the way if you don’t work here”, Which is was now clear they did not.
The staff member and my companion tried to reason with them but they were on bully mode. "Don’t tell me what to do you mole face, crooked tooth bitch!”
Now I do not tolerate anyone being bullied and automatically defend others in a situation like this. But it’s different when it’s you as an adult standing stunned. I wanted to find a cop or actually tell them some things that I psychically picked up but know would have escalated the situation because they would not have known how I knew what I knew. Their staff friend was trying to move them out of the store but they were still yelling and cursing me. I was being told my companion to “Let it go: over and over again but I wanted to defend myself.
Ok, I would have advised someone else not to further engage because they were clearly troubled souls but I also would have defended more fiercely and I expected that to be done for me. At that moment two very pretty young ladies approached me and said, “Don’t let them bother you, they are not worth it, they are wrong and bullies and you are beautiful.” I was so grateful and relieved to hear two other women say that. Who heard the incident because I did question if I did something inappropriate or that could have been misinterpreted.
Sadly, I didn’t get what I needed, they were waiting outside like true bullies and I again didn’t want to back down but my companion walked me away to another train station though I resisted. It’s not that I wanted to confront them. It is that I can tell they do this and get away with it with others and I go to this store all the time and didn’t want to have concerns going there in the future. But I ended going home, got there safe but thought of this for the next few days. I decided the next time I am in the area to speak to a manager and at least warn him there are people loitering in his store and they will lose money because of that.
Possible Reasons
So here we have a situation where young oppressed women took an innocent query and distorted it into a racial attack as an excuse to bully someone, who just wanted cat food and ibuprofen. Yes that was the emergency, have you ever seen hungry cats? Luckily I had just enough for the night and got them food the next day. Whew! Another close call!!!
In retrospect, I could have pretended not to hear them and continued on. Though I doubt they would have let it go and likely follow me around. The fact is they will eventually find themselves in big trouble and their attack on me, my person, my appearance was hurtful but the two beautiful angels who came to console me will be remembered more than the negativity of this incident. My brother tells me. “Nothing good happens after midnight” but the truth is trouble can be found 24 hrs a day.
Many people, specifically artists work at night, as a singer, event planner and intuitive, night is my day so as much as I wish I had a limo or the budget for car service sometimes I as many others are forced to travel home late. That doesn’t give anyone the right to be predators and the more we run away the more the chase.
I returned to the store, stubborn woman I can be to speak to manager because customer safety is clearly an issue here. It turns out they were not friends of the employee. They wanted go downstairs and purchase things themselves so took out their frustration on someone who they mis-perceived as easy target due to their inability to convince employee to let them downstairs.
They were waxing the floor so due to low staff and not wanted any customer to slip and fall they temporarily closed the downstairs. If the employee told me that right away, instead of just saying it’s closed with no reason, I would not have had to have any contact with those women and perhaps this could have been avoided. because they were waxing the floor. So some of the responsibility does go to him.
Pharmacy store Part Deux
Standing on line with 1 cashier, and hard had a difficult time working due to machine issue. Tall woman was belligerent on the line and went off on me because she wanted to take the bus. I told her, one second, there are some odd issues with the machine because she was egging everyone on loudly. She mentioned her transport again, and I turned and said, geez I have my private plane outside so I don’t get it, please wait while I get my other card to try. She continued and even got louder.
My companion asked to please calm down because this wasn’t helping anyone. I did not take centuries like I have experienced others do on the line. We were going as quickly as possible under circumstances. She went nuts and I finally had to turn around and ask her to shut up. Her behavior was comical at this point and she clearly looked like a fool. Her companion apologized to me on her behalf and the store guard agreed she was being ridiculous. I was relieved because a part of me felt guilty though it wasn’t my fault they only had one worker at the register and their machine was acting funny.
Pharmacy Store Part 3. Ok, so a quick disclaimer.
You must be wondering why I keep going to this particular store where crazy things happen. The reason is that it is around where I do certain things and it is open 24 hrs a day. So it is sheer necessity. Not too long ago I want to get some food. As I exited, there was a person right outside the door so I bumped it gently with my bag and immediately apologized. “Oops, sorry about that.”
Do you want to know what he said in return? “Yeah bitch, watch where you’re going!” The question is, what do you do when this happens. The best thing is to walk away. I walked away but after a moment of being confused at his answer. This person clearly was unstable and looking for trouble from the beginning.
Customer Service by Owners or employees an oxymoron
Staples, I was next on the line to get some office items and greeted the young woman hello. She didn’t respond and just rang my items up. I paid and when was done thanked her. Her response was, “Uh huh, NEXT!!” I have to admit, all I could do is laugh to myself and with my companion who thought it was ridiculous moment.
Au bon pain, I can’t see the sign
Several years ago, I went to get a sandwich at this store. I was looking at the menu above and trying to read it but the words were quite small and I could make anything out. As I was on the line trying to read I finally reached the cashier and asked “What is that sandwich up there, I can’t really see it.”
“The sign is up there, it’s all up there, just read it.”
“I understand, but I can’t actually see the words they are really small and you don’t have a paper menu to look at.”
She huffed and puffed and told me some options with an awful attitude. I placed my order and as I was paying told her “You know some people are visually impaired or simply can’t see that size print.” She rang me up and did not answer clearly not caring, and that was that.
Wishing You Wholeness