Open Letter to Maine Shoppers About Manners
Attention Shoppers,
I want to start off by saying that I understand that the holidays can be a crazy time. I know that shopping for gifts in stores for the holidays isn't the easiest task, especially if you go shopping last minute.
This Easter was no different. I chose to go to my local Walmart and it was a madhouse with people scrambling to get Easter baskets, chocolate, and gifts. Now, like many people, I also chose to go to the store the day before the holiday because I had the last-minute idea to make my boyfriend an Easter basket.
Was it the best idea to go to the store a day before the holiday? No, probably not, but I did it anyway.
While watching people scramble around the various departments of the store, I realized that I am one of the few people that remember the lesson we all learned as children about manners.
I understand that individuals are under pressure and even possibly on a time limit while in a store, but the number of times I was cut off just walking through the store can be counted on more than one hand.
It was, even more, a realization that simple manners such as saying "excuse me," did not appear in many individuals' vocabulary.
While I was walking through the front of the store, I was going to have to pass through part of a line that was formed at the register. I was about to go through when I realized that I wanted to grab a drink in the fridge next to the line.
I looked at the woman that was in the line that had made room for me to walk through and I simply said, "excuse me." What she said next surprised me. The lady turned to me and told me that I was one of the politest people in the store that day.
She then thanked me for having manners.
It seems crazy to me that someone would actually thank me for being polite. We all have learned about manners, so let us use them.
Next time you go shopping, just know that a simple "excuse me" could make someone else's day better.
Just take a minute to use the manners that we all learned as children.
Sincerely,
Your fellow shopper