Life By The Slice, The column - observations on life, relationships and humanity - sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, always from the heart.

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RELEASED DECEMBER 15, 2003

The Human Element

In our town, we have two chain-store grocers near our home and two independents located significantly farther away. One chain I avoid because of the poor service and rude employees. So when they went on strike several months ago, I didn't think twice about it.

The other chain, Big Bear, is where I prefer to shop as the employees there are usually courteous and kind. Imagine my dismay when I learned recently the local stores were up for auction and would more than likely close.

As a consumer, I didn't relish the idea of having my choices so limited. It's enough I detest grocery shopping in the first place, now it was only going to get worse? The other chain was still on strike and if Big Bear closed, then it's a half-hour trip to shop for food.

For the past several weeks, I've monitored the news stories, which have been sterile and generic. The only other thought I've given about the matter is how I'm going to be inconvenienced.

Then the Italian sausage incident happened. I needed some for a recipe and couldn't locate it. I went to the meat department counter where a man came out to assist. He told me they probably weren't going to get any more inventory because the auction wasn't final.

I thanked him and began to leave, but there was something about the way he stood there, hands on the counter, arms straight, a sad look in his eyes; I asked him what he knew about the possible closure.

He told me his story. He's given 28 years of his life to this corporation and watched his pension drop from $72,000 to $14,900. He was told on November 1^st the stores were probably going to close, but not to worry. Within the week, he, and many others, learned they couldn't even touch what remained of their pensions. They've been told their health benefits would remain through March, but claims were being denied across the board already for many of the employees.

He spoke of this in a matter-of-fact manner; no accusations, no vengefulness. He just shared the facts, but I could tell he was in pain.

He finished by saying "Only until you've been there, can you understand how gut-wrenching it is to go through something like this."

He was right. I've never experienced such a thing. I've been so busy whining and moaning about how I'm going to be inconvenienced to notice the human element of the situation.

After 15 minutes of listening to him, I walked away. I guided my cart down an aisle I'd already shopped. I knew this because even though there were tears in my eyes, the products on the shelves still looked the same, only a little blurry.

I don't know how many employees are going to be affected, but I know one is one too many. Especially for people like this man, who could choose to be unkind to others because of his plight, but instead chooses to continue to give in service as he has for so many years.

The shopping list in my hand seemed so unimportant right then. I couldn't help but wonder, how are these people going to feel potentially deciding whether to buy groceries or Christmas presents in the next few weeks?

It was with a heavy heart I unloaded my bags into the car and I thought about him again.

He's facing the unknown and in his deepest, darkest hour, I can't know what he and his family are going through. But in the midst of this upheaval, he chose to be kind to a stranger.

I could take a lesson from him.

___________________________

Note:

On December 11^th, Big Bear stores were ordered to shorten their hours in preparation for liquidation.

On the same day, the other chain's local union approved a new contract, ending the two-month strike.