Trader Joe's Customers May Be Greener Shoppers, but They Are Discourteous People

Sunday night, around 5:30pm my cousin and I decided to take a quick trip to Trader Joe's in Acton, MA. For those who don't know what Trader Joe's is, it is a whole foods grocery store that offers a great deal of options for vegetarian and organic food lifestyles, and at a fairly decent price. Aisles full of imported, organic, and interesting selections give this store its charm. Something I found missing in its regular shoppers.

I walked in the store with my cousin and we decided that splitting up would be the best option. I immediately went to the frozen foods section to see if I could find something to quench my hankering for a veggie burger. I was not disappointed, there was a wonderful selection and at a great price. As I bent forward to pick up a box a well dressed woman in her mid 30's bumped right into me and as I turned she gave me no more a look that the signs in the aisle. I found it rude, but one or two rude people in a store are to be expected and I let it go.

Next I was looking at some of the different Italian bottle waters and as I went to reach for one a man came out of no where more or less forced me to move out of the way and grabbed the very bottle my hand was reaching for. I looked at him as he turned his back to me and walked away chuckling. What I found the most disturbing was the amusement that he felt from being incredibly bad-mannered and the fact that he was in his 40's only added insult to the injury. A person that age ought to have the sense to conduct himself in a gentleman like manner.

Aisle after aisle the experiences mirrored the previous and brought such an overwhelming feeling of aggravation to me that I decided to take what I already had in my basket and head for the checkout. I stood in the cashier's line waiting for the person in front of me to finish checking out. She was a mom of two and seemed to be picking up a few things for dinner. I noticed her looking me up and down and apparently she didn't like what she saw. I must admit I was in jeans and a very worn sweatshirt with my hair in a ponytail, nothing spectacular, but comfortable. She made eye contact with me for a moment and I gave her a slight, "Hello" acknowledgement smile. To my shock, her facial reply was one of disgust and arrogance. The sort of look that told me she felt that any acknowledgement on my part to her might result in infection. She left the store nose in air and children in tow, as the cashier and I shared a bit of a laugh.

I have to admit that the staff at Trader Joe's were courteous and informative, and the store is a superb resource, but the customers that I had the displeasure of being around made Trader Joe's in Acton, MA a place I will not soon return to. Caring about the planet and moving towards green living is a responsible way to exist, but does it give a person the right to become arrogant and rude? I hardly think so and I don't necessarily believe it is green living that perpetuated the attitudes of the customers in Trader Joe's of Acton, MA last night, I am more inclined to believe it stems from the income level of the residents who shop there.