So this might go in general forum, but it struck me as inappropriate. But I’m curious on other people’s take:
In North Carolina visiting family. I live in Michigan. Swing by the ABC store(state liquor store) to get a fifth of rum cause god knows I need the occasional rum and coke to get through a non stop week of family. I visit NC regularly and actually lived there for a year and a half. Really like the Charlotte area. Clerk looks at my license and goes “Michigan… hmmmm…” I know he’s kinda joking so I joke back “It is a real place. I live there.” He smiles, transaction ends and then he says “Did you go to Trump’s rally when he was there?”. Trump had been in Michigan recently when he implied one of our congressman was currently burning in hell. So my automatic knee jerk response was “Absolutely not.”. And then he gave me a pretty judging pissy look. So not a huge deal, but I’m curious on people’s take. Bad retail employee performance right? Injecting politics for no reason. I don’t want this to turn into a grievance thread of “Well once this one lib kid said to me. …”
Really debating just giving feedback to ABC to remind employees to not bring up politics. Just curious if I’m being overly sensitive
Just consider it practice for the family meeting.
No, I don’t want to talk politics or religion or anything else with store clerks.
Congratulations…at least you didn’t title this something like GOP Forces Consumers to Favor Trump.
Yeah, these types of scenarios sometimes happen to me here in Texas. It’s pretty rare, but I always find it amusing that some would bring it up or assume that you hold the same views as them. I try to be polite and just make a self-deprecating joke, but sometimes it’s cringe-worthy.
Seems weird that he reacted that way–as if your political leaning was important information to him rather than just being a bit of small-talk. That conversation could have still been a pleasant one if he wanted it to be.
Yeah, no big deal, its the state involvement aspect that has me leaning to just passing on the conversation without referencing the specific actual store.
He was probably taken aback because you seemed like a “regular guy” and he just assumed you were okay with Trump. He asked what he thought was a perfectly innocent question and your answer I think felt to him like you snapped back at him. That’s what the pissy look was about, you possibly belittling his admiration of Trump. He took it as a personal affront.
We all need to stand in each other’s shoes from time to time.
Yes it was my interpretation. That’s how I took his reaction to my reaction to his random Trump question. It was my interpretation. But as adults who have been interacting with other adults for decades we interpret things from people based on actions, looks and demeanors. It’s called life. And we have all had interactions during a retail purchase that goes south(pun intended love you North Carolina) and this was one of those. Not freaking out, but he brought up Trump seeming to seek my approval, he didn’t get, and he got all huffy . It happens. I just thought it bad it came up in the first place. In a state run liquor shop.
It’s something I experienced about twenty years ago when a guy serving me drinks assumed I supported Joe Lieberman when I told him I was from Connecticut. I was a little insulted at first and said something similar. He looked kinda hurt. Now I get people in Florida assuming I support Trump and I am more measured in my replies. Hell if the guy seems like a real hardcore Trump acolyte I’ll just go along with it if I know it’s only a short duration like that.
The clerk didn’t substantiate your interpretation with words that corroborated your conclusion. Therefore…give the individual the benefit of the doubt. Don’t put your panties in a wad. It isn’t worth it. Save it for when it’s more important than that unimportant encounter. If not, you’ll develop an ulcer my friend and that’s the part of life, that again…IMO…should be a higher priority.
On another note, North Carolina should not be in the liquor business. That’s socialism and it’s wrong.
Let me add one last thing…I was born and raised in Michigan but now have lived in NC for a number of decades. They used to say…“you ain’t from around heeer”.
This does lead into another worry I have for this clerk. That he likes Trump, saw there was a rally in Michigan. Saw my foreign(Michigan) drivers license. Believes that most people in Michigan must be like those Trump supporters at the rally he was told about, and assumed I was there or wanted to be there but couldn’t get in. So wanted to see if I made it in. Even though he’s a clerk at a state run store.
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. It happens. I just thought it bad it came up in the first place. In a state run liquor shop.
