Thank goodness for friends!
The other night I stopped at a store to pick up a small gift. I had left my errand too late and needed to get something quickly, as stores would not be open in time the next morning.
Fortunately, I quickly found what I was looking for and headed to the cashier. After a friendly greeting and exchange of pleasantries, the young woman behind the counter asked if I was a member of "the Tuesday morning club". Huh? At my blank look, she went on to explain it was for those age 55 and older.
As I am not yet even in that decade, I must admit I was stunned into silence for a moment. Finally, I was able to respond with a "No, not there yet." Without any further discussion, other than a thank you (from me) and a "No problem" (from her), we completed the transaction.
While I was not offended or even upset by the question, I must admit it did make me take a mental step back and think "Do I look that tired?" I knew I was over-due for a hair appointment but had that scheduled for later in the week ... and I was dressed nicely ...
This experience was promptly shared on Facebook, and I received great support from my friends. Comments ranged from "You should have walked out!" (I needed that gift!) to "She obviously needs to see an optometrist!"; "Consider the source!" and finally "You should thank her for providing you with a newsletter topic!"
However, it did get me to thinking; how should someone approach the issue?
- Don't ask! If the customer is of that age and entitled to a discount, they will ask (most people want to save money!)
- It's much easier to recover from "Oh, I'm sorry, I never would have thought you were old enough!" than an "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you looked a lot older than you actually are!"
So what do you do if someone inadvertently adds years to you and asks the question?
- It doesn't do any good to get angry or cause a scene.
Think about the number of people who pass in front of the employee during his/her shift; perhaps the clerk had a negative experience with a customer and now asks everyone, or maybe it's a company requirement.
In any event, try not to take it personally -- just go talk with your friends!
