Merry Christmas, everyone!

Hoping you're enjoying it with loved ones.

In the pipeline:

• Two cans of beer and some sundry items
  
• Me and the lady who has no time...
  

The Great Balloon Caper

A Southeast Asian man came in to buy a Christmas balloon. He initially wanted one that was not already blown up (not sure why, I think maybe because he thought one in the package would be better.) After we made sure there were not, we settled on a nice, red, festive one (or so I thought.) Can we put some more gas in it, he asked. Sure, I said, warning him that too much would not be a good thing.

So, we filled it a little more; we verified the price ($7.99 plus tax); and he fiddled with it to make sure it was not leaking. We have to have a way to fill up the thing--there is a little vent hole at the bottom that allows you to fill the balloon occasionally. It self seals, and I have not seen it leak, but he questioned me closely as to its possible leak problem. I said it rarely does, although I did mention that all balloons leak, it's the nature of the beast. Those little helium atoms just naturally slowly get out, and nothing will hold them in (not in a balloon, anyway.)

Therein followed 5 or 6 minutes of close inspection of the balloon, as he searched for leaks and poked and prodded the thing. I thought: he's not going to buy this. But he got on line to pay, and then proceeded to try to put it in a large plastic bag he had brought in with him. The balloon was too big, and we don't have any bags large enough. It was hard for me to see the value of putting it in a bag.

He went outside, and returned. After a while, we determined it deflates slightly when he goes outside. I realized this was probably due to the temperature difference. (It was evening, and somewhat unseasonably cooler outside (45 or 50 degrees versus 70 to 75 inside the store.) I explained, but there was no way I could review (or teach) the physics of gases expanding/compressing in detail. I had already gotten a fair number of blank looks, and that was what I got on the temperature explanation.

We offered to let him return the balloon, and, after a short time, that's what he did. So ended the great balloon caper.

Postscript: here's my take on this: I speak a little Spanish, but just a little, and I cannot follow a fast stream of conversation. If you were to explain something to me, I would first have to ask you to slow down, and then ask you to repeat everything. If listening again did not help, I would ask more questions, and try again. But if it looked like I could not understand (from my point of view,) I would probably eventually thank you and give up. But no blank stares, if avoidable. I know my limitations, and there is no way I could understand a bunch of really different concepts in a second language--which is what frustrated me living the above story. 

English was this man's second language, and probably basic science principles, to make it worse. But I do not know how to make it better, especially in half an hour and over an eight dollar item. ;)

Full Moon Deja Vu

The moon is making us all crazy (some more than others.) 

National treasure: Alma.

--pjm

If you're interested:

Union local (UFCW) news.  Nitty-gritty detail can be found here (if you're not a UFCW union member, it will look very dull.)

Google directed ad's might actually be good for something (I have nothing to do with any of this, so the usual you-get-what-you-pay-for and the web-is-a-network-of-lies warnings apply): 

UFCW Information - UFCWexposed.com - Get information 

on union policy, strikes, contracts, and salaries.

--pjm

Hector's Ears

On a personal note, Hector's ears make me dizzy. He had these plastic spacers inserted into his ear lobes (they look like plastic washers,) and the effect is (unintentional, I'm sure) a little comical. Haven't talked to him about it, and it's a personal bias. My feeling is: do whatever you like to your body; it's yours, not anybody else's.

Nb: Hector is on the night crew, and many of you will never see him, or the ears.

No head explosion, & a mystery visit

Albert kept my head from exploding today when I mentioned while we were moving a heavily loaded Entemann's display table: "my head will explode if we have to move it back." Shortly afterward, Doyle B. showed up, and said, "move it back." Fortunately, Albert asked help from someone else.

Brian L. was in for a manager's meeting yesterday--it sure was a pleasure to see him.

Full Moon Madness

No madness yet, but give it time. Jason M. on vacation, Doyle B. in charge. 

Dennis P is back today; I hope he can work for a while, but Lisa H says his foot is still swollen.

Late news: Dennis is working, and seems to be able to function.

Birthdays

10/7/2008: 

Happy 24th Birthday, Albert!

Happy 25th Birthday, Chris!

News

Magic Mario has a new rug-rat (Annette). Sorry for the r-r label, but it's true! Even if men call them that, we love 'em. Details: 6 lbs 9 oz. Mario looks like he's jazzed.

John N. (the quiet man) stops a shoplifter.

Full Moon Madness!

The full moon is making us all a little nuts, but some more than others. My anecdotal evidence: today I found 3 half-empty cans of pop or energy drink scattered around the store. My usual count: zero. This, coupled with an unusual amount of junk left randomly on shelves because people just don't want it, makes me declare this a real full moon madness week.

Someone has a bun in the oven. It's probably not who you think.

PS, I really miss Brian L. and Sina A. I suspect many customers and workers would agree.

--pjm

Da Week

Gang shoplifting incident: some men (we know who you are) came into the store, grabbed a bunch of frozen pizza's, and ran out. We chased them, but they got away (for now).

A Customer Died (related secondhand, as I was not working)

This past Friday (8/22/2008) , a customer bought his groceries, loaded his car, and sat down in the car and tried to relax and cool off (at least, I think so.) And then he died. A courtesy clerk noticed the car door ajar, and then someone called the paramedics. But it was too late.

I don't have much to say, except c'est la vie.


Other news: Doyle is back from vacation, and John from sick leave (for his spouse.)

--pjm

Cranky Week

This past week was cranky. Most of us (and I mean almost everyone: worker bees and customers) were acting a little out of sorts. No crazies, thank God, but just a little bit on edge.

RIP--07/2008

Rose Ann, who I will miss very much, since she just did her job, which included making sure the courtesy clerks were doing their stuff.

Jackie L., just a regular checker, but steady and steadfast.

It's all very well to discount experience, but sometimes experience doesn't show its worth in obvious ways. Rose Ann and Jackie are both old-timers, and they both made sure that things happened in a nice, predictable way. Otherwise, pick chaos, and be prepared to live with it. I will miss both of these troopers.

Brian Loving, Colleen

Brian L. has been promoted to bigger and better things at SB at another store, but I thought I would mention how much he is missed. Courteous and generous to both customers and crew, Brian always let you know that if he could make you happy, he would. He used his very extensive grocery experience and his just plain old good people skills to always do his best. Brian numbers among the few people that I would compliment similarly.


Colleen, our first microwave benefactor, was in today. When we employees had zero microwaves, she stepped up to the plate and bought one for us to use as her parting gift. We will always think well of her.

News

RIP: Brian Loving, Elizabeth, Sina A.
Newbies: Doyle, John