I'm A Survivor

Holiday shopping makes me grumpy.
The ton of amazing humans who assisted us yesterday did not.
From the lady at Ann Taylor who spent a 1/2 hour helping my mom find the pair of pants that fit perfect to the clerks in (at least) 4 different shoe stores helping find the perfect pair of brown heels.
Free samples at Lindt outlet? yes, please.
To the clerks at Children's Place helping sort out a discount for the woman in front of us buying bagfuls of hats & gloves to donate.
To all the staff at North Star Cafe Beechwold, who greeted us with warmth & seriously took care we enjoyed our meal. Including our server buying my mom a cookie out of her tips.
I paid more for a book at a local comic store because we wandered in thinking it was a different business & the clerk was helpful & friendly & directed us to the store located behind them.
The clerk at the game store who took my mom's list & presented options of combinations of games & reasons they'd work for quantity of players & amount of money she spent. And didn't bat at eye at us explaining there was a companion/carer involved helping my brother.
The B&N staffer who helped us track down items for a book drive & talked children's illustrations with me & let me make fun of Rush Limbaugh. (and my cousins Amanda & Pamela who gave great suggestions)
I laughed at seeing vinyl in Crate & Barrel and the lady who greeted us listened with interest as I showed her the Big Pink & explained my friends had just stayed there. and the young lady who checked us out & chatted about Le Creuset & British cooking shows.
The waitress at the brewery the evening before who took great care of all 6 of us & chatted music after explaining she had a Harry Chapin tattoo. (of course, I told her to check out Stephen Fearing's stuff)
It's been a roller coaster of a year & a tough fall. And I've worked in retail. There's good days & bad days. For staff & customers.
I'm probably more chatty than they're interested in but for sure it was a trade off. I know some of the stores & employees improved our mood. And I know we left some of them happier by not being jerks.
Shopping will always make me grumpy.
But it's sure easier when you remember the people working are just other humans with a life like you & not a giant company. And it's presents, not medical supplies or anything.
I'm happy to give my money to any business that has a sense of humor about neither of us being perfect.
The best way to approach the world.
And god love any mall with a bar, because a beer at the end of that & a chat with nice bartenders is cool too.
Thanks to so many stores at Tanger Outlet Delaware (especially Ann Taylor), North Star Cafe Beechwold, Laughing Ogre Comics - High Street, The Soldiery, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams(Clintonville), Barnes & Noble - Easton, Crate and Barrel - Easton, Columbus Funny Bone Comedy Club, Restoration Brew Worx & places I'm forgetting for helping solve our holiday problems & making our day far better than it could've been