Reaching The Tipping Point
(It’s our delivery day at the store, and most of the employees are unloading onto the shelves. The store is very busy with customers. I’m stocking shelves when an older gentleman walks into my aisle.)
Me: “Good evening. Can I help you find anything?”
Customer: “Oh, no thank you, I’m doing alright. I appreciate you asking, though.”
(I go back to stacking when the customer comes down to my end of the aisle.)
Customer: “Thank you very much!”
(As he says this, he reaches for my hand, and I think that I’m holding what it was he was looking for. When I look down, however, I see he’s placed a five dollar bill in my hand instead.)
Me: “Oh, uh…”
Customer: *with a smile* “Every little bit helps!”
(Before I can say anything, he walks away. A little while later, I get called up to the registers. While there, I see the same gentleman has just finished his purchase. A coworker of mine walks up to join me.)
Coworker: “Hey, see that guy over there? I was in the aisles just now and he came up to shake my hand and thank me for helping him. In his hand was five bucks!”
Me: “Wow, that’s really nice!”
Coworker: “The thing is, I helped him last time he was here, but I didn’t do anything this time. I wonder if he’s been going up to all of us like that.”
Me: “Sounds like it.”
(Just then, we notice two carts full of shopping bags sitting alone, near where the gentleman had been standing a moment ago.)
Coworker: “I think those must be his carts.”
Me: “That’ll take him a couple trips. Why don’t we take these out to him?”
(My coworker and I wheel the carts out to the parking lot, where we see the customer loading his car on the far side. We bring them over to him.)
Customer: “Oh, thank you! I don’t normally shop like this, but I had a lot of stuff to get this time. I can take care of it from here.”
Me: “All right, sir. You have a good night!”
(Later on, we checked with some of the other employees; as we suspected, he had gone around and tipped all the employees!)
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