I shopped a particular person at a venue and it was an elderly female woman, perhaps in her mid to late seventies (Grandma type). I asked her the required question and she responded. She then went on to chat with me.
She was talking about her dogs - and I, too, was engaging in the discussion. She then started to talk about how she had very little money and that she had gotten a flat tire this day and it would cost $80 to fix the flat. She then went on to talk about how she also needed some other items for her car, and how expensive things are these days. I just nodded in sympathy.
She then started talking about how her dog ran away, and gave me the whole sad story about how it was injured upon return. I could not disengage from her because the stories were so melodramatic. I wasn't too uncomfortable, and again I too partook in parts of the conversation.
Looking back on it and relaying the story to a family member, he said that she was trying to appeal to my emotions to give her money. I didn't think that at the time, but looking back on it maybe she was. She was def playing to my heartstrings, but I never bit - I mostly just nodded my head in sympathy whenever appropriate.
Now I didn't have to shop her in particular - I had already shopped someone else in the same capacity. I just did it to ensure that I had enough information in my report, or in case I lost information from the other person. My report would be full and complete if I do not report the interaction with her. It was just backup (for me).
A) Do I report this or just drop it?
B ) Do I include the stories she shared with me?
C) Do I mention how I could not get away?
I would feel so bad if she was just really a sad person sharing stories with a stranger and then get in trouble for it. She mentioned how she only had $63 to her name. I would feel pretty guilty about this....
WWYD?
Edited to say: The more she talked the more dramatic and sad her stories became. Why didn't I see that at the time?
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2014 04:32PM by Chix.