I was doing a FF breakfast shop this morning, and after receiving my food, I sat near the drink station. A 60-year-old male customer sat down near me, leaving his 5- or 6-year-old son/grandson to get his own soda. The kid proceeded to fill his cup and then spill it all over the floor. Visibly upset, he called several times for "Papa" before the man came over to help him. The kid pointed out the large spill on the floor, but the man ignored it and led the kid back to his table.

I couldn't let this go. I politely told the man that he had a duty to tell an employee about the spill, because someone could slip in it and fall. He replied, "I don't work here." After I told him that he was a rude individual, I found a manager and reported the spill. After returning to my seat, I repeated my piece to the man, pointing out that he was setting a poor example for the child. The man ignored me, choked down the rest of his food and left.

No, I did not mention the incident in the shop report.

You don't want to hear this, but I would have reported the spill but not said a word to the guilty party. It's not possible to embarrass a person with no standards or to make any headway on changing their behavior.

As you might guess, Mary, that wasn't the first time I've confronted someone about his/her behavior in public. My significant other points out that some of these people might be inclined to do me grievous bodily harm for not minding my own business. But I'm so incredibly fed up with public rudeness, and it seems that by not saying something, I'm excusing it.

Speaking of incredibly "blind" parents who ignore their kids messes when they leave...... in public places and restaurants (more-so parents, than grandparents) I have seen places where a young toddler sat (and even full grown adults have eaten) where the table is a disaster site, similar to the Atomic Bomb going off. Crackers, plastic wrappers, food smeared on the chairs, the carpet on the floor barely visible, because of the all napkins and garbage the parents child left on the floor.

I don't blame the toddler but I do blame the parents who "get up, walk out and ignore the terrible mess their child just left" ....When my kids were young, I tried very hard to keep things off the floor, and even to this day, I wipe the table with a napkin, put the salt shaker back, and make sure the table is neat.

Is there something wrong with me? lol

PS: I do the same thing at motels, I straighten up the bed, make sure all the trash is in the trash can and wipe the sink clean...

No, Sunny. There is nothing wrong with you (I hope) because my husband and I do the same thing. When the kids were little, we always cleaned up afterward and we still do.

@LJ wrote:

No, Sunny. There is nothing wrong with you (I hope) because my husband and I do the same thing. When the kids were little, we always cleaned up afterward and we still do.

Whew!

Don't act so relieved. I'm not all that normal.

@SunnyDays2 wrote:

@LJ wrote:

No, Sunny. There is nothing wrong with you (I hope) because my husband and I do the same thing. When the kids were little, we always cleaned up afterward and we still do.

Whew!

I always clean up after myself be it a restaurant or hotel. I even stake the dirty plates together put everything on top so the staff at waitress type restaurants can easily remove my plates and then just have to take a quick wet rag and wipe the area.

@BuffaloNY101 wrote:

I always clean up after myself be it a restaurant or hotel. I even stake the dirty plates together put everything on top so the staff at waitress type restaurants can easily remove my plates and then just have to take a quick wet rag and wipe the area.

In a world populated by a more mature and responsible species, customers would inherently avail themselves to the bucket(s) of water, rags, mops, and whatever. They would clean up after themselves. And tip well. And be polite, considerate, and above all pleasant. At one of my client's restaurant's, I tend to clean up after myself, and since I have kitchen, office, and anywhere else access, can easily find what I need to be helpful....

.... At the risk of going too far, what would it be like if an allegedly intelligent species actually was, and acted like it? Children could grow up never learning anger, fear, hatred, pain, shame, dishonesty, and so forth. And no member of the species would consider behaving any different in the presence of most beloved family nor a stranger from the other side of the planet. Or maybe the universe? IF, suppose, there are UFO's that actually are from somewhere else, maybe contact is avoided because of the generally awful behavior of our species? Let us all hope that we as a species never go too far in the wrong direction. What if we are or become 'shopped' by someone who is deciding if we have any business even existing?

Are we known by the company we keep? Do our children demonstrate us to others? Or are too many of us merely going through the motions in our lives, much like so many employees we shop and submit audits on?