Usually on an average day, after about a half an hour or so at the register, your brain pretty much turns on the auto-pilot and goes on vacation to places anywhere but Target. This is something that happens automatically, just due to the monotony of the job at hand. However, every once in a while a customer manages to bring you back to reality and gets your attention a little either by being funny, witty, unexpected or, as it was in this case thought-provoking. That being said, the customer in question was about 7 years old, freckle-faced and blond-haired and on a shopping-trip with his grandma...
As I am ringing their items, making small-talk with grandma, he seems very lost in thought, staring at the camera eye over my head and then looking intently around the ceiling at the store. As I'm done ringing, he gets my attention and asks: Is that over your head there a camera? I say "yes, that is a camera." "And all the ones on the ceiling and over there on the wall, they are cameras too?" "Yes," I say, "all those are cameras." Nodding knowingly and gravely, he adds, "I guess people steal a lot, that's why you need all those cameras here?!" I try to make it sound positive and harmless and say, "Yes, that's one of the reasons why we have them, but also for safety, to keep our guests and employees safe..." I only half believe what I say, being the cynical grown-up that I am...he picks up on that and adds in a heavy tone and voice way beyond his years... "Yeah, I wish we'd live in a world where we didn't need cameras..." I was blown away and could actually feel my eyebrows shoot up in surprise as I exchange looks with his grandma, and grandma adds "Well, Mason, maybe your generation can change that"....
The kid just nodded that knowing nod from earlier and I thought to myself, 'yes, Mason, I hope you go on to do something amazing, I'm routing for you...'
As I am ringing their items, making small-talk with grandma, he seems very lost in thought, staring at the camera eye over my head and then looking intently around the ceiling at the store. As I'm done ringing, he gets my attention and asks: Is that over your head there a camera? I say "yes, that is a camera." "And all the ones on the ceiling and over there on the wall, they are cameras too?" "Yes," I say, "all those are cameras." Nodding knowingly and gravely, he adds, "I guess people steal a lot, that's why you need all those cameras here?!" I try to make it sound positive and harmless and say, "Yes, that's one of the reasons why we have them, but also for safety, to keep our guests and employees safe..." I only half believe what I say, being the cynical grown-up that I am...he picks up on that and adds in a heavy tone and voice way beyond his years... "Yeah, I wish we'd live in a world where we didn't need cameras..." I was blown away and could actually feel my eyebrows shoot up in surprise as I exchange looks with his grandma, and grandma adds "Well, Mason, maybe your generation can change that"....
The kid just nodded that knowing nod from earlier and I thought to myself, 'yes, Mason, I hope you go on to do something amazing, I'm routing for you...'
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