Now, every Tuesday is "senior discount day" at my local gourmet market. If I need some special items - or even if I don't - I usually stop by. Looking around, it's obvious I am not the only one lured in by the senior discount.
So I make my way around the aisles, stopping to avail myself of the delicious little samples and the mini cup of coffee, then head to the checkout line. The clerk begins to ring up my purchase.
I wonder if I should tell her "senior discount, please." Most of the time, I wait until my items are all tallied. Then one of three things happens:
- The clerk rings up the total forgetting the discount.
- The clerk asks if I am eligible for the discount.
- The clerk automatically deducts the senior discount.
Which feels best? Number one makes me think either he or she is being polite assuming I could not possibly be of age to qualify for the discount, or he or she is not paying attention. Number two makes me feel the clerk is following the manager's orders to flatter the senior customer by asking. Surely we both know I qualify. Number three makes me wonder if it's time to invest in cosmetic fillers.
Which approach do I prefer? Number three is the easiest - I simply pay and wheel my cart out. Number two requires only a simple yes. Number one means I have to ask for the discount and I wonder if doing so is undignified.
But the most demeaning thing of all occurs as I head for the exit. A young male employee smiles disarmingly. I return his smile. He asks, "Did you find everything, young lady?" YOUNG LADY!
Later, I ask my husband if a salesperson ever addresses him as "young man." He thinks, then replies: "No, but at some point they began calling me 'sir.'
Best, Fran
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