Shopping
The other day I stopped into a local supermarket to buy some sliced “rotisserie turkey breast”. It’s the best available, it actually tastes like turkey.
The surly clerk (shop assistant) stood before me and uttered not a word. I ordered ½ lb of the turkey.
Again wordless, she moved back to the slicer. After a minute it became clear that she was slicing far more than ½ lb. I called out to her “I just need half a pound”, and she ignored me. She brought the meat to the scale. It weighed 1lb.42 ounces. I reminded her that I needed but half an pound. She glared at me as if I had said something indecent, and wordless again, she divided the turkey slices, glaring at me as she did so.
My now .45 lb of turkey breast in my hand, I thanked her. And you have already guessed what I know: this particular supermarket chain is a very poor employer.
Although I wished that the clerk could have been more upbeat, I think that I understand the reason for her surliness. Her bosses do not respect her or treat her well.
Last week I took my Brasilian friends for dinner at Terra Nossa, SRQ’s only Brasilian Restaurant. The food there is hearty and flavourful. It’s owned and run by a husband and wife. I’ve eaten there about eight times now, and each time the wife (Maitre-de and Waitress) greets me with a broad smile and a hug. Times are hard at Terra Nossa. Many Brasilians have returned home in the face of a declining American economy. It will be too bad if Terra Nossa has to close.
Today I headed east on Fruitville Road. This is one of SRQ’s main east/west thoroughfares. It begins at the coast hugging Route 41 (The Tamiami Trail - Tampa - Miami) and it is mostly a broad and fast six lane road until it reaches Interstate 75. Thereafter it is a two lane, semi rural road. It terminates some 12 miles east of Route 41.
I stopped first at the Grove, a wonderful fruit and vegetable market, run by a Mennonite family - Dad, Mum and seven children.
The sons look very American in their jeans and tee-shirts. 3 out of the four are sadly overweight (Mennonites do little other than work, pray and eat). The daughters look totally gorgeous in their long dresses and head coverings.
These young people leave school at aged 14, and then learn to work hard and pray a lot. They seem as contented, if not more, than their non-Mennonite contemporarys.
Mennonites are by training very reserved. But this reserve is abandoned at the Grove.
The parents and family are as friendly as they come, and go beyond the call of duty to make their customers happy.
Leaving the Grove, I headed about another 11 miles east to the little town of Myakka (or Miakka - both spellings are used).
There I headed for a nursery which specialises in Florida natural plants. I wanted to buy a couple of “Prostrate Porter Weeds”, a lovely low growing plant which is a great butterfly attractor.
The nursery (a little slice of heaven) is run by two women. Laurel is always upfront. She is clearly the people-person. She greeted me like a long lost friend (I’ve shopped there only once before), and found my plants as if it were the greatest pleasure of her life.
Oh how I love to spend my dollars at places such as the Grove, Terra Nossa and the Nursery, where I am greeted with such warm courtesy.
“Small is beautiful” eh?
The surly clerk (shop assistant) stood before me and uttered not a word. I ordered ½ lb of the turkey.
Again wordless, she moved back to the slicer. After a minute it became clear that she was slicing far more than ½ lb. I called out to her “I just need half a pound”, and she ignored me. She brought the meat to the scale. It weighed 1lb.42 ounces. I reminded her that I needed but half an pound. She glared at me as if I had said something indecent, and wordless again, she divided the turkey slices, glaring at me as she did so.
My now .45 lb of turkey breast in my hand, I thanked her. And you have already guessed what I know: this particular supermarket chain is a very poor employer.
Although I wished that the clerk could have been more upbeat, I think that I understand the reason for her surliness. Her bosses do not respect her or treat her well.
Last week I took my Brasilian friends for dinner at Terra Nossa, SRQ’s only Brasilian Restaurant. The food there is hearty and flavourful. It’s owned and run by a husband and wife. I’ve eaten there about eight times now, and each time the wife (Maitre-de and Waitress) greets me with a broad smile and a hug. Times are hard at Terra Nossa. Many Brasilians have returned home in the face of a declining American economy. It will be too bad if Terra Nossa has to close.
Today I headed east on Fruitville Road. This is one of SRQ’s main east/west thoroughfares. It begins at the coast hugging Route 41 (The Tamiami Trail - Tampa - Miami) and it is mostly a broad and fast six lane road until it reaches Interstate 75. Thereafter it is a two lane, semi rural road. It terminates some 12 miles east of Route 41.
I stopped first at the Grove, a wonderful fruit and vegetable market, run by a Mennonite family - Dad, Mum and seven children.
The sons look very American in their jeans and tee-shirts. 3 out of the four are sadly overweight (Mennonites do little other than work, pray and eat). The daughters look totally gorgeous in their long dresses and head coverings.
These young people leave school at aged 14, and then learn to work hard and pray a lot. They seem as contented, if not more, than their non-Mennonite contemporarys.
Mennonites are by training very reserved. But this reserve is abandoned at the Grove.
The parents and family are as friendly as they come, and go beyond the call of duty to make their customers happy.
Leaving the Grove, I headed about another 11 miles east to the little town of Myakka (or Miakka - both spellings are used).
There I headed for a nursery which specialises in Florida natural plants. I wanted to buy a couple of “Prostrate Porter Weeds”, a lovely low growing plant which is a great butterfly attractor.
The nursery (a little slice of heaven) is run by two women. Laurel is always upfront. She is clearly the people-person. She greeted me like a long lost friend (I’ve shopped there only once before), and found my plants as if it were the greatest pleasure of her life.
Oh how I love to spend my dollars at places such as the Grove, Terra Nossa and the Nursery, where I am greeted with such warm courtesy.
“Small is beautiful” eh?
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