Hello All.
Something on a lighter note today.
Though there are some sad stories to relate.
They can come later.
Our shop was a general dealer.
We sold everything.
Basic foodstuffs, clothing and even African beer.
The latter was a very good seller.
We sold chewing tobacco.
It came in a big roll and I would cut it into little pieces and wrap them in plastic.
Thank God most of the customers did their spitting elsewhere.
My brother came on a visit and watched me cutting it up with interest.
Eventually, he thought he would give it a try.
I found him outside…heaving and spitting up a storm.
I was never tempted to try it.
Most of the customers were darlings but there were the exceptions.
One day I caught an evil bastard picking on a mentally challenged boy .
I jumped over the counter and told him to bugger off.
He pulled out a knife.
And I thought “oh crap”
I couldn’t back off so I told him to go ahead and stab me.
And his mates took him away.
And I shook for a while.
We sold paraffin by the litre, bottle or half a bottle.
The paraffin was kept in a big drum in the store off the shop.
I remember hub one serving a very difficult customer.
She came in and asked for a litre of paraffin.
Giving him a five litre can to put it in.
She bought a couple of other things and then said she only wanted a bottle of paraffin.
Hub went to the back.
Poured out the litre and measured out a bottle.
Brought it back to her.
She looked at her money again and said now she only wanted half a bottle.
He went back to the drum and emptied out the bottle.
Came back and looked at her.
I didn’t know it was physically possible to twist a five litre can into a knot.
Then he told her to leave.
Very sweetly.
And, if you believe that, you will believe anything.
That sort of reminds me of the old type of Co-op stores. Pieces of soap cut off from a large length of green or red soap. They used to sell everyhting, including the kitchen sink.
By: Pussycat44 on July 6, 2012
at 5:12 pm
Now that I think of it…we DIDN’T sell kitchen sinks though we did sell big plastic basins.
By: granny1947 on July 6, 2012
at 5:16 pm
lol! people always throw up the odd ones – in every place
By: SidevieW on July 6, 2012
at 7:57 pm
It keeps life interesting Sidey.
By: granny1947 on July 7, 2012
at 9:01 am
i think i like peace more than too much excitement
By: SidevieW on July 7, 2012
at 1:54 pm
Oh I don’t know Sidey…adrenalin is good too.
By: granny1947 on July 7, 2012
at 2:13 pm
OH dear! the knife incident sounds like something that would happen to me or my daughter.
By: Booksphotographsandartwork on July 6, 2012
at 11:31 pm
So you guys also jump into situations without thinking????
By: granny1947 on July 7, 2012
at 9:01 am
This reminds me of my first job as a kid – helping in a general store. I never did beg forgiveness from the person who received the tiniest bit of my finger that came off while I was slicing cold cuts. Ewwww…I know. But the blade was so sharp and so fast that I didn’t feel it until the blood showed up! The store owner had already wrapped it and sent the customer on his way. The next job I took was selling shoes. Much safer for customers!
By: souldipper on July 7, 2012
at 6:11 am
You are right Souldipper…euwwwwwwwwwwwwww
By: granny1947 on July 7, 2012
at 9:00 am
These fascinating insights into your past are just great, Granny! 🙂
By: wightrabbit on July 7, 2012
at 10:57 am
Thanks Wight…so glad you are enjoying them.
By: granny1947 on July 7, 2012
at 1:05 pm
I wasn’t shocked at the knife because I was still recovering from the shock of Granny jumping over the counter. But you weren’t a granny then, of course…
By: Tilly Bud - The Laughing Housewife on July 7, 2012
at 11:23 am
No I wasn’t a granny but even I was surprised I could leap a counter.
By: granny1947 on July 7, 2012
at 1:04 pm
That knife incident must have really put you on your guard in future. Thanks goodness he didn’t do what you said. I get such a vivid picture of your shop from your descriptions. I wonder if there are such places still in the more rural parts of our country. I guess so.
By: adinparadise on July 8, 2012
at 11:57 am
Yes, I am sure there are lots of them.
and I don’t ever want to see them!!!
By: granny1947 on July 8, 2012
at 12:00 pm
I’m sure you don’t. 😉
By: adinparadise on July 8, 2012
at 12:01 pm
I hate customers, they always think you are desperate and that you will take their crap to make the sale.
By: Gobetween on July 8, 2012
at 12:32 pm
chewing tobacco and snuff are just disgusting. I remember working with a woman who used to do the snuff thing, eeewwww, she was foul!
By: Ruth2Day on July 8, 2012
at 9:01 pm
good grief….in the office????
By: granny1947 on July 9, 2012
at 8:04 am
Fascinating stuff Granny, are you still so impulsive?
By: optie on July 9, 2012
at 2:23 pm
Afraid so Optie…or I wouldn’t be up here!
By: granny1947 on July 9, 2012
at 5:04 pm
Those were quite some experiences! I am sure that absolutely dulcet tones were used to invite the paraffin lady to exit …
By: colonialist on July 12, 2012
at 7:08 pm
Absolutely Col…I can’t repeat them here.
By: granny1947 on July 12, 2012
at 8:37 pm
Hahahaha!! Yes, I’m sure he offered her his arm to escort her out too…. 😉
By: raisingdaisy on July 16, 2012
at 7:53 pm
Oh he was very polite….not!
By: granny1947 on July 16, 2012
at 11:14 pm