It was a simple but important job, and Beth felt a mix of excitement and nervousness as she prepared to dive into her new role.
Supervisor: Make sure all the boxes are empty and break them down for recycling. After you finish stocking the shelves, go to the front and help the cashiers bag the groceries. If you have any questions or concerns, call my extension or have me paged to your area. The Managers are the only ones who can ask you to do other work around the store. When you're helping the cashiers, you listen only to the Supervisor and report to her any problems you encounter.
Beth pushed the opened boxes out of the stockroom onto the aisles. On one of the aisles, she heard an older woman complaining about a Hispanic mother and her children, who were laughing and playing in the store. The woman approached Beth with a tense expression and a sharp tone in her voice.
The woman leaned over as if she was sharing a secret; in a low tone, she made a snide remark about the family.
Older Woman: Those people don't need to be allowed in this country or our neighborhoods. Their children are so unruly and disrespectful. Don't you hate they get to come to our country?
Beth felt a tight knot in her stomach, twisting and turning like a rollercoaster ride out of control. It was truly disheartening to see someone so quick to judge others simply because they were different. She glanced at the woman, whose lips were pressed together and nose tilted in the air, as if she'd just caught a whiff of something unpleasant. Clutching her purse like a shield, as if she was about to be robbed.
But in that moment, it hit Beth hard―this was precisely how people looked at her…... the same judgmental gaze she cast when she acted like she was above everyone else. It was that same stubborn attitude that had led her astray more times than she could count. She took a deep breath, pausing to collect her thoughts before replying to the woman's words.
Beth: No, ma'am. I don't feel that way at all. I'm no better than them or anyone else. You let me know if you need any help, ma'am. My name is Elizabeth...... Oh, you must be Karen. I have heard a lot about you.
Beth smiled at the woman and continued stocking the shelves. The woman paused with a look of confusion on her face before shaking her head slightly and turning to walk away, wondering what had just happened.