I've been living in the Ravenna area now, after having lived on Capitol Hill for decades ( Taking care of my elderly mother). I've always enjoyed the low key atmosphere and love the deli department, though, bit pricey. But yesterday I was treated to such a traumatic situation at this co-op, and now don't feel safe going there ever again. I was standing in line, minding my own business, buying a tomato and tuna fish. You'd think one would be secure buying tuna fish. I was behind someone being checked out, I placed my food on the converter belt and waited my turn.I could feel someone right behind me, huffing and sighing for some reason. I stepped two steps away to admire some flowers and looked back, her face was red and expression exasperated. She spoke- " What are you going to do with THIS. CART? Huh? I thought, after I get checked out I'll put it back! Her anger concerned me, so I just made a gesture, meaning that.That was it for her. She gathered up all her might, and with great force launched,my cart across the store, it nearly toppled a child, it went flying past the produce area to the back wall. Now her face was bright red! I stood, stunned.? Was I supposed to leave the line and put it back before I got checked out? Everyone I saw had a cart in front or behind them as they stood in line. My cart made zero difference in terms of how fast the line went! But her rage! I've worked with the public for decades, all over this city, been screamed at by struggling homeless men, crazies etc, maybe it was more shocking because, you know, Wedgewood. When I could speak again, I told her "you have to chill out", at which point she called me a "bitch", I asked, "did you just call me a bitch"?" No," she raged, " I called you an OLD WITCH"! This, for tuna fish? I didn't know what she was capable of and got scared, asked to speak to a manager, that old chestnut. A young girl approached, very nice and sweet, and unfortunately, all I could say at that point was "do I look like an old witch"? I mentioned ageism, it really is hateful and meant to de-humanize people in the worst way. The manager was nice but she didn't come close to helping me to ever feel safe shopping there again! I hate to say this and am sorry it's needed, but this store needs a security guard! If this had happened anywhere else, taking someone's property and using it as a weapon of mass destruction, followed by ageist and bigoted hateful slurs, for no reason, theyed be ESCORTED OUT OF THE STORE, and told not to come back to the store for a few months! I was upset all night, had vivid dreams about being violated, because that's what happened, and a sweet girl handing me a few flowers ( sweet) felt insufficient for the drama at hand. She never asked me what had happened, or took my phone number and looked into things, the woman behind me just loaded her groceries ( with her CART) into her SUV and laughed as she sped by me walking home in 90 degrees. Lesson being- just because this store is frequented by wealthy matrons in flowing dresses, mental illness is dangerous here, too. Or unloading rage and putting customers in danger ,to feel better after dumping on them. Whatever. I wasn't protected, listened to,and the perp faced zero consequences, because she's a rich white woman.
So, had she been a poc, she'd be locked up right now, I'm not being overly dramatic, either. Someone in that store needs some muscle, smarts, and professionalism. The few flowers that made it home were thrown out, as I prepared for the first of many nightmares I was treated to- because I wanted a TOMATO! People are crazy these days, obviously, so do SOMETHING ,the next crazy could be armed by something like a GUN, and in response, would you give the victim a few old FLOWERS? So invalidating, tone deaf, and patronizing, customers just need to , forget "feel", they need to BE SAFE.
I've gone on way too long, but since no one cared to listen when I was in danger, I guess I'm doing it here. I don't know when I'll feel safe enough to go to any store again.GEE, THANKS. read more