How do you handle a scuffle with a mentally handicapped person working at the grocery store?

Question

I was shopping at my local grocery store and it is pretty obvious they do programs for special ed folks - which I'm very supportive of. But this one time this young man offered to carry my groceries out (2 light bags), and I politely said "no thank you" with a smile, and he still took a hold of my bags and proceeded to practically yank me along with them. What should I have done at that point? Screamed?

Answer 1

I would report it.  That's anti-social behavior and you never know how far he could take it.  He could hurt someone and he shouldn't be working with the public.

Answer 2

firmly say NO thanks yank the groceries back and maybe give the poor guy a tip if ur feeling guilty

Answer 3

Make a formal complaint after the fact, not during the encounter.  Talk to store management in person it's more effective.

The complaint is not to get the employee fired, it's to let the store manager know to move this young man to another position.  He has a right to know, as he could lose business because people feel uncomfortable.

There are also people who are responsible for this man's treatment, and may need/want to know how he's doing so they can work with him.

Answer 4

No, screaming isn't the best way to handle any situation, especially the one in which you are describing. You have to keep in mind that these individuals are handicapped (i hate the term) and therefore, they think differently. I'm afraid it's not their fault for what happened and that they wanted to help you the best way they can. They deserve a different kind of attention, so forgive and forget. =]

Answer 5

They shouldn't do that if you don't want the help, but at the same time, those people sometimes just don't know any better.  I'm not saying that this is the best thing to do, but if it were me, I would have just let him carry the bags for me, and then gone to the manager later on and explained what had happened.

Answer 6

Unless you thought he was dangerous I'd just say let him take them. Or you could say, "stop sir. Thank you very much, but I am going to take them today. Thanks anyway. Please give me my bags. Thanks".

Answer 7

id probably start laughing n just let him carry the bags.

Answer 8

My sister was a bagger at a grocery store and she always worked the shift this mentally handicap woman who was soooo evil and rude. She would stand behind customers and scream to I guess get their attention and the customers tried hard to tolerate her, but she did get out of hand a lot of times.

The store can't legally fire them, but complaining to a store manager always helps.

Answer 9

i work in the retail grocery business and the proper way to handle that is to firmly stand your ground and say  "i dont need any help"

because the business employs this "handicapped" person they are responsible for his or her actions. if, when you said i dont need your help and this person continued to "yank" you, then you should have let them have the bags and went back into the store and told management about what happened and let them handle it from there.

Answer 10

Hmmmmm, I'm beginning to think that cellular didn't understand the question.   The appropriate response in this situation would be to call him an a*****e.

Answer 11

let him carry your bags, it wouldnt have been a bad thing..

Answer 12

hung on to the bags, saying firmly, no thanks I'm fine.  If that didn't work, use your taser - just kidding.  Tell the manager about it.