Chad – 1st Year Is Going Places

I often joke about how you can learn everything you need to know about a person based on how they act driving through a traffic circle.

I feel the same way about Market Basket (for those not local, it’s a grocery store in my area). It’s not the same as other grocery stores for some reason. I find myself mentally preparing every time I drive into the parking lot and proceed into the store. It’s almost like going into an airport where everyone just loses all sense of common decency because they’re so focused on the task at hand (getting to where they’re going and getting their groceries without anything or anyone getting in their way. Like going into battle).

Market Basket is always a sociological experiment where I’ve learned it’s always a way to test my temperament. It can send me from 0-100 bearing witness to the epitome of all that is inconsiderate with humanity when I have two items and the lady with five grocery carts of food cuts me off to go ahead of me, saying “I was first!”.

Or someone parks their cart right in the MIDDLE of the aisle with absolutely no concern for other people. I may have said very loudly, “EXCUSE ME!” a few times in my day.   

On the flip side, I get some of my best stories from being in Market Basket. The music is ALWAYS on point. The accent of the store manager who comes over the loud speaker and ends every announcement with “Moah foyah Dollah” providing a nostalgia that instantly takes me back and puts a smile on my face. Not to mention, their rotisserie chicken is amazing. Most days, I secretly love it.

This past weekend I walked into Market Basket and immediately saw a good friend of mine. We hadn’t seen each other in a while but thanks to the wonder that is social media we keep tabs on each other. We exchanged a warm hug (which, let me tell you, I will never take hugs for granted as long as I shall live after this last year). 

A couple aisles later, I ran into a past client and his youngest (of FOUR!!!) kids who greeted me with a warm smile and a “Lex! How ya been?” (Truth be told, any time someone calls me “Lex”, I instantly feel a warmth knowing they are comfortable with me enough to abbreviate my name. Sounds silly, but it’s the small things. 

A few aisles later, another fellow customer and I almost ran into each other and I immediately apologized in which she responded, “No, totally my fault.”

“WHERE AM I?!” Was my instant thought. Normally, going into a grocery store on a Sunday, everyone’s out for blood. It didn’t feel like that this time. There was a peaceful vibe.

I get to the checkout line. My cashier, ‘Chad 1st Year”, looks like he is BARELY 13 dawning braces and is maybe 90 lbs soaking wet. 

“Oh Lord” – I thought to myself and then checked my attitude. 

“Nope, I’ve got nowhere to be and I just had three very pleasant exchanges in a Market Basket on a Sunday. You’ve got this,” I thought to myself.

Let me tell you somthing. Chad – 1st Year was easily the most impressive person I’ve encountered in a long time. 

“Do you want your chicken separate?”

“Oh, Ma’am, you have a tear in your bag of broccoli would you like another bag?” (Yes, I’m still eating broccoli)

***Inspects my egg cartons for about 10 seconds each to make sure every egg is unscathed***

“I just wanted to make sure none of them were broken for you.”

I wanted to ask him to marry me in about 30 years.

A couple of his colleagues walk by and he cheerfully greets them without skipping a beat tending to his job. His job that he clearly takes pride in not because he loves being a Market Basket cashier, but because this kid gets it and I guarantee will succeed in whatever he does.

So Chad – 1st year, Market Basket Cashier – whoever your parents are, well done, my friends!

Your son is going places.