Give the Customers What They Want?

I needed a large sprayer bottle.  I was in CVS and couldn't find what I wanted.  I drove across the parking lot to the Ace Hardware, parked, walked across the tarmac, approached the door..... and then my day went to Hell.

I almost didn't go in.  

I needed the sprayer.  I didn't want to waste gas driving around looking for one.  I decided to make it a teachable moment, rather than give in to my fear.

The cashier asked how I was doing.  I'm a little bit anxious, than you.

The Assistant Manager was standing next to the sprayer.  He smiled at me. I smiled back, trying for rueful, as I said that I was sad that I wasn't going to be shopping in his store any longer, now that he was selling ammunitions.

Well, ma'am, you have to give the customers what they want.

There was (to me) a lengthy pause as I stared at his face.  No, you don't, not if you care.

I lost it when he told me not to worry.  I told him about being shot with Gabby and how the first place the shooter went refused to sell him ammunition and if the second place had exercised the same kind of discretion Christina would be 21 right now.

Paying for my sprayer I asked the cashier, new to her job, if she had been trained about selling ammunition.  For the second time in a minute I was told not to worry. I'm allowed to worry.  I was shot with Gabby Giffords.  

We should all be worried.