Wednesday, September 8, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
5
Commentary...
A tragic new normal on display at the grocery store
By Carol Statton
Correspondent
Our world today feels
like it is spiraling out of
control. Locally, nationally,
and worldwide, there are so
many things that seem to be
elevating to a degree never
experienced before. Stress
levels are intensifying, and
because of that, we are see-
ing disrespectful and poten-
tially harmful human behav-
ior being triggered.
Last Friday, while waiting
at a Safeway deli counter, I
witnessed such behavior and
it made me understand my
own increasing anxiety at a
deeper level. This encounter
also made me realize that we
all need to be the best version
of ourselves, no matter what.
Imagine overwhelmed
and understaffed employees,
trying their very best to do
the job that would normally
be handled by three times
as many people. Employees
that have been working
like this for months. Trying
so hard, despite incredible
fatigue. Finding patience
when met with myriad of
impatient souls. Doing their
best even when there isn9t
enough supply to meet the
needs.
While I waited in line,
I noticed an agitated man
approach the counter.
Suddenly, this man started
spewing expletives as he
looked at some empty bowls
within the salad case. The
man was interrogating the
poor young boy behind the
counter as to why the <exple-
tive= there wasn9t a plentiful
amount of every choice.
He yelled the <F= word at
this boy repeatedly. The boy
came around the counter to
explain to the man that even
the delivery trucks don9t
have enough workers and
that they just aren9t getting
stock. More <F= words 4
but now they weren9t being
directed to the boy, but about
the condition of life with all
the worthless people in the
world.
The boy continued to
look up into the face of the
man who was towering over
him, determined to defuse
this hostile situation. He suc-
ceeded and the man got his
large container of coleslaw
and headed off for other
parts of the store. The boy
just stood there, staring into
the great unknown, trying to
regain his composure.
This young man came
to me next and I could feel
the fear he had just pushed
through in order to handle
the situation. He looked
maybe 15 years old (I found
out later that he is a very
young-looking 20-year-old).
I wanted to give him a hug
and tell him this wasn9t rep-
resentative of the whole
world 4 but I could tell he
needed to just focus on ful-
filling my order and con-
tinue pushing through. I
thanked him wholeheartedly,
trying to communicate my
anguish over what he had
just endured.
So much is escalat-
ing. The idea of control is
evaporating. Stress and fear
are building, and even just
seeing limited supplies of
what we are used to having
can trigger an unbalanced
response.
That man9s unleashed
attack was an example of
what can come from feel-
ing vulnerable. His choice
of words and lack of self-
control were completely out
of line, making others feel
uneasy and unsafe. However,
a young boy behind the
counter kept his calm and
did what he felt he should
do, and somehow, the situa-
tion did not escalate further.
It could have, and knowing
that made me feel terrified;
terrified that as things con-
tinue to spin out of control,
more of these encounters
will happen. Worse things
could happen.
When we as humanity
lose sight of our responsibil-
ity to one another, we lose
sight of decency. Decency
means we don9t attack one
another. Decency means
we respect and value one
another, no matter what our
differences may be. Decency
means we care. We must
care 4 for one another and
for the world that we all call
our home.
If we run out of potato
salad at the deli counter, we
must remember that this is
not the end of the world. If
we treat it as such, we cause
untold damage.
I pray for the young boy;
pray that he doesn9t let this
encounter scare him and
make him afraid for tomor-
row. I pray for humanity, that
we can regain our collective
heart and realize that each of
us affects the whole. I pray
for the ability to find my
own way back to believing
in the best of humanity, and
not giving in to a fear I have
never known before.
And as for my own way
of trying to right the wrong
of another, I went back to
Safeway the next morn-
ing and relayed all of the
details of that experience to
the manager, conveying how
that young man deserved to
be commended for his dedi-
cated and mature efforts.
Sadly, I realized that this had
certainly not been an iso-
lated instance, as the man-
ager was not surprised by my
report.
This must be the new
norm. How tragic that is.
I was assured, however,
that the brave young man
would be rewarded.
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