Surely I am not the only person who gets annoyed when I am solicited for donations - usually towards a very deserving cause - at the grocery store check-out counter. This usually happens at my local Randall's, which is owned by Safeway. Same story last week: "Do you want to donate one dollar for birth-date cancer?" Birth-date cancer? Never heard of that one before, must be something you get when you turn 90 or a 100, after many many birth dates have gone by... Of course I had mis-heard. The checkout person was actually soliciting for 'pros-tate' cancer, a much more familiar version of the dread disease. Birth-date, prostate, it makes no difference. The answer is still - no. Not because of what, but because of where and when.
There's a time and a place for everything, and I very much object to being asked to donate anything to whatever cause, while I am shopping. It is a bit embarrassing to say 'no thank you, not today', or to make some other miserable excuse, not to give a measly one dollar to a very good cause, whether it is cancer, juvenile diabetes, MS or whatever. After all, you are in line with people you may know - from your neighborhood - and you've just spent nearly $20 on a bottle of wine, almost $5 for a small bottle of herbs (which is criminal!) and the equivalent of what you used to pay for meat, for some organic veggies. And that is exactly why I find gratuitous solicitations like these to be most unwelcome. I am not at Randall's to make donations. I am there to shop. Don't abuse my patronage just because I present a nice captive audience. Remember I can always decide to go to HEB or to Rice Epicurean or Kroger or even Whole Foods. Hmmm. Scratch the last one - I was solicited for some green cause in the checkout line at WF not too long ago...
As for running, nothing happening on that front as I am still injured from the overly vigorous Crossfit session of last Wednesday. Should be ok to do a short run this afternoon, definitely tomorrow. Kathleen did very well this morning at the Heights 5K Fun Run, placing 2nd in her age group, with her second sub-24 minute effort! I was very much looking forward to running on fresh legs but alas it was not to be. I was happy to finally meet a fellow blogger - Nuke Runner - who had a superb run, finishing well under 19 minutes and placing in his age group. Congratulations!
The Focus of a Monk
3 hours ago
3 comments:
I totally agree with you that it's rude to ask the question like that... on the other hand I'm not totally against the grocery/shopping solicitations... I've seen the question pop up on the touch screen where you swipe your card which seems like a much more tasteful way to do it. That way you can decide if you want to or not without awkwardness... it might not be quite the appropriate venue for it, but I do appreciate that convenience...
Ethan yes I agree with you on the question which pops up on the touch screen pad. That is the polite way to do it and I don't object to that. I usually just pick up a few things (less than $20) from the grocery store so pay in cash. Which I guess is why they have to give me the full treatment.
I have seen it come up on the screen and they still ask me anyway after I already typed in the answer. Then I have to tell the cashier out loud as well. I am with you on this, not a fan of the grocery store solicitations.
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