Curmudgeon - YES/ OUI, Young man - NO/ NON

I become entirely “curmudgeonly” in supermarkets.  There are reasons for this!

1.      The foods which I think should be in Aisle 6 are inevitably to be found in Aisle 19. 

2.      I always get stuck at the slowest check-out.

3.      I often forget to get an item or two which is on my list.

4.      The person in front of me at the check-out always has some reason to slow things down.

Y’all know about this.  Y’all know the frustrations in supermarket shopping.

But wait --   there is more.  Here is the story.

At my local “Sweet Bay” supermarket (which I like very much, on account of the super selection of fresh vegetables, and good meats) there is a middle-aged and middle management employee who brings out my inner curmudgeon. This employee is the one who rushes in to open up a new aisle when the market is busy.

Grateful as I am for this, (his/her) words drive me crazy.  She/he is aged about 50 and inevitably addresses those of us who are waiting in line as “young man” or “young lady”; whatever our age.

I am not a “young man”.  I am a perfectly contented 66 year old adult.  It does not flatter me to be addressed as “young man”.  In fact I hear it as patronising.

So when this clerk/cashier addressed me as “young man” just a few days ago, I bristled. 

Then I sought out the store manager and registered my complaint. He promised to deal with it.

I am sure that you will now agree that I am a “curmudgeon per-excellence”.

I’d rather be a curmudgeon than a “young man”.