Old lady taught me patience with a single sentence

I work checkout at a grocery store in Tampa. Last week some grandma took 10 minutes digging coins out of her purse to pay $12.47 and I was getting annoyed. She looked up and said "I'm sorry honey, I know I'm slow but you're the only person I talk to all day." That one sentence hit me hard. Has a customer ever said something that totally changed how you saw them?

2 comments

2 Comments

drew_grant5214d ago

Got to say that one hit me right in the chest too. I mean, dang, that's the kind of thing that sticks with you forever. Really makes you think about how much we miss when we're just rushing through our day.

jason7314d ago

I read something a while back about how loneliness is basically an epidemic among older people. Something like 1 in 4 seniors lives alone and doesn't have regular social contact. That stuck with me because I've got a few older folks on my street who I know don't get out much. You hear that statistic then you run into a moment like this and it's not just a sad story anymore. It's a real person counting out change because you're the highlight of their day. Makes you slow down a little.