What's In It For Me?
Today I came to the very sad realization that many people only do things when there's something "in it" for them. I came to this conclusion after I arrived at work this morning and noticed people struggling to get around on the ice outside the building. My booth is right beside the glass doors leading outside and up a little incline to Safeway - this meant I had a birdseye view of those struggling to get up and down the icy slope. It took about four minutes (and one elderly customer sliding dangerously out of control) before I borrowed a snow shovel from next door and went to work. The entire area was a thick sheet of ice...I thought I'd be "shovelling", but it turns out I had to smash and pick at it with the side of the metal shovel until I loosened bits that could be scraped away. Bloody hard work, I'll tell you. But the sun was shining and the fresh (very cold) air did me good...I like physical work and welcomed the time "away" from my booth. I could keep an eye on things and went in and out as I had customers throughout the morning. I really didn't think twice about it....rather than sitting and watching as my 90 year old customers (friends) nearly wiped out in their walkers, risking serious injury, I thought I'd try and help. No biggie. Just doing what I thought anyone would do. Apparently not I learned, as all day people (bewildered by my actions) said things like "wow, how much extra are they payin' you for that?" and "you shouldn't be doing that, that's management's job" (it was). Several said "why don't you just leave it - they'll sue if they fall"!! "IF THEY FALL"...that was the 'kicker' for me". Did they really expect me to just sit back and watch as they fell, taking comfort in the fact that they could sue? I'm sure that money wouldn't be on their minds with broken hips and concussions. People were more concerned about who was responsible than they were with someone getting seriously hurt and they couldn't seem to grasp that my motives were nothing more than wanting to help. Is that such a hard concept to understand these days? Worrying.
I fell on the ice on the way in to work today and really hurt my shoulder...I thought about how these seniors, with poor eyesight and brittle bones, would fare through a fall? Some of them were terrified as they slipped and slid all over the place...they were really helpless and people just hurried on past without batting an eye.
I was very disappointed with the mall management AND Safeway....regardless of WHOSE responsibility it was. SOMEONE should've been out there, cleaning up that mess and ensuring there was a safe path for customers. Many of the employees who came out for their cigarettes/breaks could barely manage to get around on the ice. Yet noone bothered to do anything about it. My next post will be about the parking tickets that they're issuing there...they're more concerned with people parking 2 minutes past the 2 hour time limit than they are of them falling down and breaking their necks. Disgusting.
I just happened to have my camera in my purse so I took pictures, just in case someone DID get hurt...if it was one of my old gals I'd make sure they COULD sue with proof of the treacherous conditions. The pictures show the "line" where the clear ground meets the icy danger zone. Just about every person who approached this patch did so apprehensively and most had a hell of a job navigating their way through the worst spots. Unfortunately, I had to quit shovelling before I finished, as things picked up and got busy inside.
I went out and helped a few who had a really hard time by offering "an arm" to get them to stable ground. (The Asian woman with the cane was having a particularly rough go. I went out and stuck my arm out and she grinned a huge grin. She seemed so relieved/grateful. She kept saying "thank you, thank you" as we stumbled along and she actually cried and hugged me, tight, with her head buried into my waist when we got to dry ground (she was all of about 4'). Then she started speaking Cantonese and completely lost me.
(This is in front of our doors, after I'd cleared the thick layer of ice, like the stuff leading up to "Safe(?)way" and shown in the pictures above. I'm not trying to "blow my own horn" here...it's just I don't understand why noone else saw the urgency in ensuring customers didn't kill themselves trying to enter/exit the premises. The pictures really don't do the slope justice, it was pretty bad!)
I fell on the ice on the way in to work today and really hurt my shoulder...I thought about how these seniors, with poor eyesight and brittle bones, would fare through a fall? Some of them were terrified as they slipped and slid all over the place...they were really helpless and people just hurried on past without batting an eye.
I was very disappointed with the mall management AND Safeway....regardless of WHOSE responsibility it was. SOMEONE should've been out there, cleaning up that mess and ensuring there was a safe path for customers. Many of the employees who came out for their cigarettes/breaks could barely manage to get around on the ice. Yet noone bothered to do anything about it. My next post will be about the parking tickets that they're issuing there...they're more concerned with people parking 2 minutes past the 2 hour time limit than they are of them falling down and breaking their necks. Disgusting.
I just happened to have my camera in my purse so I took pictures, just in case someone DID get hurt...if it was one of my old gals I'd make sure they COULD sue with proof of the treacherous conditions. The pictures show the "line" where the clear ground meets the icy danger zone. Just about every person who approached this patch did so apprehensively and most had a hell of a job navigating their way through the worst spots. Unfortunately, I had to quit shovelling before I finished, as things picked up and got busy inside.
I went out and helped a few who had a really hard time by offering "an arm" to get them to stable ground. (The Asian woman with the cane was having a particularly rough go. I went out and stuck my arm out and she grinned a huge grin. She seemed so relieved/grateful. She kept saying "thank you, thank you" as we stumbled along and she actually cried and hugged me, tight, with her head buried into my waist when we got to dry ground (she was all of about 4'). Then she started speaking Cantonese and completely lost me.
(This is in front of our doors, after I'd cleared the thick layer of ice, like the stuff leading up to "Safe(?)way" and shown in the pictures above. I'm not trying to "blow my own horn" here...it's just I don't understand why noone else saw the urgency in ensuring customers didn't kill themselves trying to enter/exit the premises. The pictures really don't do the slope justice, it was pretty bad!)
posted by Deb at 7:34 PM
10 Comments:
I guess rock salt wasn't on hand? That comes equipped in every house in Ontario, but seeing as this weather isn't normal for you guys, I can understand not having it.
Good on you for breaking up the ice, I hate it when people just stand and stare and don't take action. From the pictures it looks a little like black ice, very very dangerous. We get a lot of that in SW Ontario, my Mom spun out on black ice in the car, when I was 10, and almost died, and recently she slipped outside on broke her ankle badly because ice wasn't cleaned away at an establishment. So I completely understand the bones thing.
I hope your shoulder gets better soon!!
:)
Good story. I think you did the right thing. Like the idea of taking pics if needed. Ha.
It's still weird thinking you're battling snow and ice while we are in the 60(F)'s. I guess we get snow this weekend. Damn.
See ya.
Good pictures of bad situations for the trees.
Ii hope you shoulder is doing better. Falling is damn scary and I'm not (yet) a senior.
The management should be extremely ashamed of themselves. It's a Safeway store - they'll have something on hand - even kitty litter will help.
And did I read that correctly? They issue parking tickets if you are there over two hours? Guess where I would not be grocery shoppng?
We had a teeny bit of salt, but it's supposed to last throughout the winter so we've been instructed to use it sparingly. So I had some, not much though.
Geez, I hope your mom's alright. I it HATE when establishments don't act responsibly. I fell in a hole in the McDonald's parking lot once and was badly hurt...bleeding, cut, grazed. They couldn't have cared less. Everyone said I should've sued...looking back, I probably should've because the holes (there are more now) are still there. The one I got stuck in was the size of my foot and was right in line with the handicapped parking spot! But we all know McIdiots can't afford to repave their lot.
I know busterp...what a switch in weather. Global warming's wreaking havoc
Kitty litter - Barb, you're a genius, what a great idea! I'd never have thought of that - there's a pet store a couple of doors down. I called the property management today and tore a strip off of them (on their answering machine...of course they weren't available).
(maybe I'm dyslexic? "it hate, hate it"...you get it, I'm sure. Still thawing out here!)
Oh my god, you would think Safeway would get their shit together and have some of those strong young guys they usually have working for them to get out there with bags of salt/kitty litter and shovels for crap sakes! I'm so proud you are my friend Deb! I feel bad that older people even have to go out in this weather and don't have people shopping for them hey? Poor sweeties!
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Man, I hope my parents have someone like you around when they find themselves in unsafe conditions. You rock!
I teach out of my home and yesterday the stairs were covered in thick glassy ice so I went to the Hardware store and bought the necessary salt. I resalted at different intervals during the day and then one of my students offered to do it for me. It was hilarious. There is now pretty much a 5 pound bag of salt on the stairway leading into my house!
I'm definitely going to make sure we have more salt on hand...both at work and at home. It makes life so much easier!!!
We're never really prepared here because usually the snow lasts about eight minutes and then it's gone. This time it fooled us, big time!
I thought of that Ben...it's a fine line and sometimes "nice guys finish last". When I was helping the lady with the cane it actually crossed my mind that, should we both fall and hurt ourselves, I could be held responsible. But I don't want to stop being me, based on what "might" happen...could be a dumb move, I know. I just am so disillusioned with what's happening in the world (and what I see all around me) that I have a bit of a defiant attitude....like I'm gonna' fix things, single handedly. What a dork I am.
This way of thinking is fairly new for me. Not long ago, I just went along, minding my own business. Working with seniors has really opened my eyes. Also, seeing how often big corporations don't care about anything but money...that one really gets me. I tend to be quite vocal/active, then worry that it might come back to bite me in the butt one day. I'm a busy body and sometimes have to remind myself that I have kids too...that my actions could impact their lives. If I was on my own, I'd be a force to reckon with!! (I think they call that a shit disturber!)
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