The two incidents happened between 4:30-5:00pm yesterday afternoon. I was looking for a snack and stopped at two different gas stations in my area, both the same company but different locations. Similar scenario at both and my reaction was similar at both.
1st = I asked a question to the manager about redeeming points at the machine but they had taken the machine out, so he directed me to the register. I replied, “do I have to ask them or is there some other way to redeem?” (my thought process is that it is a busy time of day and I don't want to take 5 minutes at the one register that was open while others wait). The manager was stacking snacks so he could have jumped on the other register but whatever. He took my inquiry the wrong way though. He complained about no workers and only one register open. I was taken aback cause I was not expecting a “political” talking point at that moment. They didn't have the snack I was looking for and left. Thought of this subreddit as I got in my car.
2nd = no more than a mile away, the second gas station, a guy was stacking the shelves. This guy was not an employee of the store though. And, this store had 3-4 employees working whereas the other store at 2-3. Whatever. The stacker asked if he was in my way and I said “no.” He made a comment and I replied, “it is what it is.” He then ranted on about how we can't settle for “it is what it is” and “it needs to go back to the old days.” His tone told me workers don't want to work and people should accept what they are “given.” I thought of two quick retorts but said neither. The first retort would have been, “unemployment is at 3.5%, something must be going right.” And the other option in my head was, “if we all voted Democrat, we'd be in a much better place right now.”
I'm not an advocate of talking politics in public, especially at a gas station, but the tone and rhetoric brought on by him was asking for it. I wanted to say those two retorts but I didn't. I just wanted my snack. The 2nd guy ranted about managing people and how he got out of it cause he couldn't deal, so now he is stacking shelves for a private company. Didn't care to hear more but I so could have made his evening.
Not sure if I will engage in the future but knowing what is coming my way in the coming weeks… well, I just wanted my snack.