The Help at J.C. Penney
The Old Man on July 28th, 2017
So I decided that I should go and grab me a few new shirts. We all love to go shopping and this was my excuse for the day at least! A wonderful leisurely drive to the local mall was in order, so off I went.
Deciding I would shop at J.C. Penney proved not only to be fruitful, but as well entertaining.
There I was, walking around looking in the Men’s Department for my new shirts. Around and around I walked through the maze of clothing racks rummaging through just about all of them. Seems I had seen every rack at least three times, yet I was so tired that I could not remember where I originally began. I had just about taken all the looks I could when I thought to myself that a little help was needed. A new set of eyes and a little direction is always a breath of fresh air when shopping in a large department store.
I thought I had heard a lady ask me if she could help me. Why yes! Indeed! I would absolutely appreciate the help! We spent some time together and she helped me look at several different shirts. After about 30 minutes I had found two shirts that I really liked. It was odd though, as I know I didn’t see any registers near the entrance when I came in. I remember when all registers were conveniently located right at the entrance and exit doors everywhere you shopped years ago. Absolutely not the case today! I found myself asking the lady where I could pay for my purchases. She pointed me to the middle of the congested walkway and told me the Kiosk was just down that way. I thanked her and went on my way.
The cashier was very polite and was a joy to talk to when I finally had my turn after waiting in line. She promptly scanned in my purchases as we shared some small talk. She gave me my total and I paid with a smile. She asked me if there was anything else she could help me with, and I quickly replied “Could you please tell the girl in the Men’s Department that the Old Man with silver hair said Thank you”! I explained to the cashier that she was so kind by spending time with me and helping me to find my two nice shirts.
The cashier looked a little confused and asked me if I remembered the name of the employee that helped me. With a sly grin I looked up at her and replied “I believe that her name tag said GHOST”! We both looked at each other and had a good laugh!
It seems the days of finding help when shopping at Department Stores are a thing of my past. Those days were a lot simpler as the helpful people that were there everyday always knew where to find exactly what you needed. Their friendly smiles and happy demeanor really enhanced the shopping experience. It was always fun to go shopping back then! But do remember that the cashier that is there to take your money didn’t choose the policies of today. Take the time to let them know they are appreciated. It already appears that one day sooner than we think, even their bright smiles will be missed. We will be expected to enjoy our entire shopping experience alone with no help at all.
