Today's Vocabulary Lesson

According to dictionary.com, the following is a definition of rude:

discourteous or impolite, esp. in a deliberate way: a rude reply.

The following are examples of rudeness:

Approaching a customer and asking, "Ma'am, is that one of our display pieces?" (while pointing to the fully-assembled walker, with a tag that says, "Display unit only, not intended for sale" on it)

Checking in the stockroom for the piece the customer wants.

Apologizing to the customer because there are none in stock, and then offering to return the display piece to the shelve from which it was removed.

Responding, "No, we cannot," when asked, "You won't sell me this one?" (referring to the display piece).


The woman I was helping was kind enough to point out how rude the above behavior was to her companions and the complete strangers waiting at the layaway counter, and nearby shopping in menswear and shoes. Oh, I was also within hearing distance, and realized only then how unbearably rude I had been to this woman. She wanted to speak to a manager about how rude I was, but since she didn't ask me directly, and I was afraid of the reprimand I would receive for behaving so abominably to a customer, I did not offer to call one for her. (How rude of me!)