Showing posts with label old age. Show all posts
Showing posts with label old age. Show all posts

Friday, April 12, 2013

Ridiculous Ramblings in Retail part 3: The Missing Car Dilemma

I'm all for elderly having their independence and keeping their rights to live like they want. Just not when they can't remember something as simple as what they drove to the store in....
It's a nice afternoon. I'm standing at the front watching people as they come in and go out. It had been relatively peaceful that day.
The cart attendant comes up and asks if I was going to help "that lady". *Insert confused face here.*
"What lady?"
"That one". He points to the side door where two women are standing practically blocking the entrance.
"Which one? There are two. And why does she need my help?"
"I walked the whole parking lot with her because she lost her car."


Lost her car? I'm doing a mental forehead slap here as I walk over to this lady. She's got a cart full of merchandise that she just bought. She's blocking the entrance, talking to this other woman that's on the phone.
"Can I help you with anything?"
"Oh, yes! I can't find my car. I'm certain I parked it right here in front of the doors. And now it's not there!"
The other lady asks if she's sure it was the black car.
"Yes! I only have a little black car. I don't have another." The lady insists there's only one car.
"What about the green Miata? The dark green one?"

"I don't have a dark green car. It's black."
"Well, ma'am. I'd be happy to help you look for your car if you wanted me to." I mean that's my job, right? Helping people no matter how crazy they are...
"Oh that would be wonderful! Would you please?" She tries to turn and walk out the entrance doors only to find they won't open.
"Ma'am, the exit doors are this way."
We finally get outside and she keeps giving me the same description of a "little black car" that she "parked right here in front". We are standing at the side entrance though. I point to each black car I see and she keeps saying, "No, that's not it."

I'm beginning to think a cab would be a wonderful suggestion for her. We slowly go around to the front. I see a dark green Miata parked halfway down the lot to the side of the entrance. "Is that it? Oh wait, you said it was a little black car. That's a dark green Miata."
"Where?" She squints and puts her hand over her eyes even though dusk has already fallen. "Oh, my gosh! That's it! That's my car! How'd it get there? I thought for sure I parked closer to the door."
Another mental head slap.
"Thank you so much!"
Someone please take away her license before she forgets how to drive.