Latest news with #shopassistant
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
The kindness of strangers: sobbing in a rack of bras, a grandmotherly shop assistant soothed me
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 and immediately had to have a single mastectomy. Told by the doctors I needed to wear very soft bras for a while, two months after the surgery I went to my local department store to find something suitable. I was hobbling around and feeling really awful about myself – sore, sad and scarred, and as though I'd never look attractive again. Somewhere deep in the racks of bras I became so overwhelmed by it all that I just broke down and started sobbing. Around the corner came a petite, grandmotherly shop assistant. She put down everything she was holding, walked over and asked me if I was OK. Through tears, I explained how hacked up and completely daunted I felt. She took both of my hands, let me sob a bit and then told me: 'I know it doesn't feel like it now, but it will all be OK eventually.' She gave me some tissues to tidy myself up, helped me find some bras, and off I went. Six years later, I went back to the same store. I was getting married, and needed a bra to go under my wedding dress. To my surprise and delight, my fitter was the same woman: Margaret, whose strong South African accent jogged my memory. I told Margaret how amazing she was to me that day six years ago – and she remembered me! We were both a bit tearful, hugged again and once again she helped me find a bra. It felt like coming full circle. I later wrote to the store to tell them what a wonderful employee they have. With no drama and no fuss, Margaret had known exactly how to soothe me in my moment of distress. Of course, Margaret had been absolutely right all those years ago – everything was, eventually, OK. The mastectomy got rid of all the cancer, sparing me the need for any radiation or chemotherapy. My partner and I got married last month and it was a wonderful celebration of how great life can be. And the bra Margaret helped me pick out for the big day was just perfect. From making your day to changing your life, we want to hear about chance encounters that have stuck with you. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you're having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here
Irish Times
27-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Brianna Parkins: Maybe people who won't think for themselves will start to bother AI and not us
As anyone who has ever worked in a shop frequented by the general public will tell you, people hate using their brains. They will avoid using mental energy if they can help it in any way possible. For example, during my time as a shop assistant I was asked on more than one occasion where the socks were while standing in front of a wall of socks. Under a big sign hanging from the ceiling, which said 'Socks'. Instead of the only socially acceptable response of laughing and going, 'What am I like, they would have bitten me ... etc,' one woman sighed impatiently and said, 'But where are the size 5-7s?!' As if I was the one slow on the uptake, when she was standing in front of a sign that read 'Sizes 5-7' in 72-point font. These people were not vision impaired. They did not need to harangue a teenage girl stressed with the Sisyphean task of trying to pair up a mound of identical black leather lace-up shoes during the Back-to-School sale. If they had taken five minutes to give even the most cursory glance around, I wouldn't have minded. At least they would have attempted to figure it out on their own. But no, they'd march straight up to the nearest worker, even if they were 10 customers deep, to demand where to find something. No danger of using up any brain cells there. When I sold jewellery, more than one man asked me if they should buy their future spouse's engagement ring in gold or silver. As if I, the strange woman they had just met for the first time, would know more about the preferences of the woman they shared a bed with every night. The woman they were hoping to spend the rest of their life with. 'How am I supposed to know that?' one shrugged as if this type of esoteric knowledge was lost forever when the Library of Alexandria burned. READ MORE Instead, because it was the early days of social media, I had to scour her grainy Facebook photos taken on a 1-megapixel camera to see if her chunky heart locket was a silver or a gold looking blur. If only there was a simpler way. Like checking her jewellery box or using his eyes before he left the house to buy the most important piece of metal he would ever give to someone. I remember wrapping up the white-gold ring and wondering if I should have slipped in a note, warning her against saying 'yes' to his proposal. I imagined her future: a lifetime of him bellowing that he could not find something in the cupboard and her having to stop what she was doing, pad into the kitchen and hiss, 'Here!' while grabbing the item that was right in front of his face. Please don't misunderstand me. I am not anti-help. I like helping people. I'll always stop and bother to give a tourist decent directions. I've gladly lifted the front of many a pushchair to help a mum carry it down busy train station stairs. I will never begrudge help where it is needed. It is those who refuse to use even the smallest bit of brain power to help themselves that annoy me. In the many Facebook groups I belong to, this is on full display. The wanton wasting of other people's time and attention by asking questions that should have been a private Google search . For example, in a group for Irish people moving to Australia it would be fine to ask, 'Which suburbs are great to live in with small children?' and, 'Can I call the police to remove a spider from the kitchen ... what if very big?' Those are things you can only really know from experience. The village should be stepping up to help out with their collective knowledge. I would love to tell you when it's Irish week at Aldi here in Sydney, and cans of Club Orange are in the middle aisle. [ Moving to Ireland helped me understand my mother, her peculiarities and weird secrecy Opens in new window ] It is the anonymous members firing, 'Do I need a visa to work in Australia?' into the group that really annoys me. There are entire websites funded by taxpayers to tell you this information. Just look it up. Use some critical thinking , I beg you. 'Does anyone know why they won't accept my Irish prescription at the pharmacy?' Yes, I do. You've answered your own question with the word 'Irish'. Perhaps the only good thing about artificial intelligence is that all the annoying people who refuse to think for themselves will start to bother it and not us with their questions. Maybe that's how we stop it from taking our jobs and becoming our robot overlords. It will get tired of spitting out personal training plans and simple emails for head wrecks that they could have just as easily looked up themselves, and simply choose to self-destruct.
South China Morning Post
18-06-2025
- South China Morning Post
Robber steals Hermes bags and necklace worth HK$3 million from Hong Kong shop
A robber tied up a shop assistant, rendered her unconscious and made off with Hermes bags and a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace worth nearly HK$3 million (US$382,170) in total in Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui on Wednesday. Advertisement The 49-year-old female victim opened the first-floor store at Supreme House on Hart Avenue at about 9.30am, the insider said. About an hour later, a heavyset suspect wearing a black hat and face mask entered and asked about buying a white Hermès handbag. He said he would leave to withdraw cash and return later to complete the purchase. At around 12.10pm, the suspect came back and bought the bag, but he said he wanted to browse. Advertisement The source said the victim continued working and paid little attention to him. Suddenly, the suspect covered the victim's face with a small towel, causing her to lose consciousness.
