I popped in to the shop by the Tube Station today to buy half an ounce of Old Holborn. A butch but not unattractive woman, who was standing in for the usual bloke, told me that she thought they were sold out. Nonetheless, she dutifully scratted round under the counter and actually managed to find one.
I was about to say "Top man" and decided against it a split second too late - once mouth was engaged I couldn't stop. The alternatives "Top woman" and "Top girl" were dismissed on the hoof, so I stuck to Plan A and said "Top man!" anyway.
She took it pretty well, all things considered.
Monday 29 December 2008
Top man!
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2 comments:
Isn't that just how it should be?
A shop assistant going out of their way to help a customer seems such a rare event in these days of gum chewing gossipers. Like every other job, working in a shop can be "do the least I can for the money" or "do the job as well as I can".
I witnessed a fine example of the latter just before Christmas. I was in a supermarket picking up a few odds and ends and realised I hadn't bought the fish required for our usual Christmas Eve feast. At the fish counter was a very strange looking fellow, a great big lumbering lump with long hair and an indescribable beard. The cut I needed was not on display so he went to the back and searched through the fridges because he was sure there was some somewhere. Lo and behold, it was found.
It was clear that he took enormous pleasure and pride in helping me. Not for him the "if it ain't on the counter we ain't got it" attitude. He knew his stock and was determined to help if he could.
Wonderful.
I've had the opposite. I bought a pouch of Golden Virginia two years ago and an old woman said to me "Didn't you know it's no-smoking day?"
I replied that I did, but that it was also "Keep your nose out of my life day".
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