I am a Cub Guy

I am a Cub Guy.

I went to Bylery’s over lunch today. I realized that I am not, nor will I ever be, a Byerly’s guy. I don’t mind the store so much, but the shoppers there seem like they are fresh from the “remember-you-are-better-than-carl” meeting.

There seems to be an entitlement attitude that is prevelant among a number of the customers. Take for instance the gal in front of me at the salad bar who was somewhere between 67 and 182. The rules are pretty simple. Start at the left with the lettuice, and end on the right with the dressing. Stay in that order, and no one gets hurt.

This gal was a dodge, weave, step back and dodge in again kind of gal. The order of salad creation didn’t seem to matter, nor did the fact that others were there. At one point, she stepped in front of me (which would have been ok with a simple “Excuse me, may I get a slice of cucumber”) and did nothing. Just stood there looking at the salad bar. Finally she looked back at me and said “Oh… you can go around”. That was quite thoughtful of her, except that the 3 things I wanted on my Romaine were right in front of her.

“Actually M’am, I would like some of that Bleu Cheese… It’s right there… In front of you… Can I please… would you mind if I… could … may… ”

Then I remembered my basketball technique and started using my elbows.

I got the salad and walked to the cash register.

As I walked up to aisle 10, the well-to-do lady in front of me realized that line 9 was shorter and left. I stepped up to take what was her place. When she got to 9, she realized that it was shorter because the gentleman over there had a large cart of groceries. Rather than cutting her loss, she squeezed back in in front of me in aisle 10.

AGAIN… had she asked, I would have certainly said yes, but apparently something about me makes it clear that I do not earn 6 figures a year, and therefore am not worth talking to, or presenting manners to.

I didn’t realize what tied this all together until I got to the parking lot (filled with Buicks in the aisle waiting for the next guy to pull out so they can be 5 spots from the door, rather than the dismal 7 spots away).

It is entitlement. It all comes down to that. Many of those shopping at Byerly’s arrive with the belief that they are the most important customer in the store. That is something Byerly’s caters to very well. At Cub, however, you realize you are one of hundreds of customers; the absense of which would go unnoticed by the store’s personell

I like that. I like being able to go in, and not be noticed. I like having the median income of those shopping. When someone wants something where I am standing, I politely get out of the way and let them at the shelf. Then, two aisles later, they do the same thing for me.

I am a Cub guy.