Really?

Through my recent change in job titles at the school I have had the opportunity to go out into the community several times a week. My student has a job-site where he learns to perform necessary tasks, develop a good work ethic, and get an idea about what it takes to work for a living. In this case the job-site in question is a very popular shoe store. It's not always the most interesting work but I have seen some sights, and come to some conclusions about societies' shopping habits that I've found a bit alarming.

Before I started teaching I worked some retail jobs and I also served some time, many years in the hospitality industry. So I guess I shouldn't have been shocked today but I was. People ransacked that store! We're out on the floor and some areas looked like a tornado had blown through! Is it really necessary to try on multiple sets of shoes, and then leave everything out on the floor. Is it acceptable to not clean up after yourselves even just a little bit? Really? Shoes were out of boxes, and mix-matched. Boxes were strewn across the floor, crumpled papers flung in ever direction, and shoe boxes carried to the opposite side of the store and abandoned by shoe gremlins!

I felt horrible for the workers. 1 of the employees told me, after I'd apologized for all of humanity, that she remembered and everyone joked about this 1 woman and her 2 teenage daughters who made such a mess it took the staff 2 hours to clean up after them. That's ridiculous! Are people that self-involved? I would be embarrassed to leave such a huge mess after me and walk out the door.

I also noticed that people don't have any respect for personal space when shopping for shoes. There was an old Russian couple whom appeared to be going out of their way to interfere with our student workers. They were constantly backing us into corners, brushing by us as we worked, or hovering over us. A woman on a blue-tooth practically growled into her phone when she couldn't get down the crowded aisle, and shot our students a salty look as she pushed by. Aisles would become instantly clogged as our students worked to straighten up, and we would find ourselves trapped against a wall or in a corner and people were just oblivious to our situation.

The job sites are supposed to help our students experience different work environments and possible employment opportunities. I wonder if they also walk away wondering what's wrong with some people.