Day 217..#Being Polite..

I haven’t washed my hair for about a week..I know..it’s terrible!

It’s because I ran out of conditioner and I also ran out of my leave-in..and I haven’t had time to go and get some new products from the store.

I went to work today with my dad, and just sat around for a little while. After I realised it was almost time to go home, I made  my way to the Beauty Supply Store to get my products.

Every time I go to anywhere where a purchase has to be made, I have a list.

I approached the store and looked over my list as I briefly stopped in the doorway.

I started browsing the aisles, looking for any items that were on my list.

Not being able to find what I was looking for amongst all the other items, I looked around for a clerk to assist me.

I didn’t see anyone, so I approached the counter.

The man behind the till was standing there having what seemed like an in-depth conversation with a woman. They’d been talking when I initially got there, and they didn’t seem to mind the fact that there were people in the store that needed serving.

I approached the counter and politely interjected in the conversation saying “I’m sorry, excuse me please?”

The man behind the counter turned to me and smiled, I showed him my sheet of paper and asked him if he knew where I could find any of the products I had on my list.

While he scanned my list, I looked at the woman he had been talking with and smiled. She rolled her eyes at me, sucked her teeth and muttered something underneath her breath. I turned back to the man behind the counter and he called over a clerk from another part of their store to assist me.

With the assistance of the clerk, I found most of the products I had listed and approached the counter to pay.

The woman was still there. She turned to me.

“Your parents clearly didn’t teach you any manners.” She began, “When grown folk are talking, you don’t just rudely come and interrupt them. Have you never been taught that? Because I’m sure you have?”

I smiled at her. She was not finished.

“I mean, you have eyes, and you have legs. Pick your legs up, open your eyes and go and find what you need yourself. I didn’t realise it was so hard.”

I still looked at her, smiling.

She had stopped talking and she had a look of disgust on her face.

“I’m sorry” I responded, “But when I initially approached the counter, I waited for a few moments before I apologised for interrupting and said excuse me, before proceeding with my request.”

“In regards to being rude, I do not believe I have done anything to warrant you thinking that. I have been taught manners by my parents and I used them in the situation not too long ago that has brought about your apparent dislike of me.

Now again, I apologise, but when I needed assistance and no one was on the shop floor to help me, my only other option was to come and seek the help of the man behind the counter in this case.”

She looked at me and rolled her eyes, protesting that I didn’t say anything, stomped over to the counter and rudely interrupted her conversation which was not the case.

“I could be very rude right now, because I don’t feel that I have done anything to warrant your disapproval of me.” I began to say to her, “But I’m not that kind of young person that does not respect her elders. I apologise again if you believe I was unbecoming earlier by interrupting your conversation, but I do not believe that I was.”

During this time, the man behind the counter had rung up my items and I had paid. I was still smiling.

She looked at me one more time, sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes, and turned back to the man behind the counter to continue their conversation.

I continued to smile, said “I hope you have a nice day” and left the store.

I think she wanted to argue. I didn’t want to, which I think made her more upset with me.

Oh well..Being polite is so refreshing!

=)

~ by originalapplejunkie on August 4, 2012.