The Ketchup Incident

The year was 2009.  Aly and I walked into WalMart and lo' and behold, there were tiny ketchup bottles by the deli (where they keep the popcorn chicken to tempt you).   We had to have it because, let's face it, the marketers have realized we love anything tiny.  At some point during this trip, she dropped it and it broke - splattering all over the floor and my shoes. 

No one came rushing over to make sure the glass didn't spread. No one came over to offer to help.  All employees studiously kept their eyes down to be sure they didn't get asked to help.  I didn't let them get away with that.  "Hello-ooo!?"  I finally got someone to come over and help clean up the mess.  I have to imagine that this would have been a better solution than that they were sued because someone stepped in and slipped on said ketchup or cut themselves on the bottle.  You'd think they'd be a little more proactive, but no, the employees are not in general invested in the success of the company.  They work to survive.

Fast forward to yesterday.  We walked into the same store and after Aly saw the ketchups, she said, "we need to get a ketchup.  because we broke one.  we dropped it on the floor."   I couldn't belive that she remembered something that took place almost half of her lifetime ago.