after reading another blog this morning about talking, to all manner of people, it reminded me of when i used to run a business. Over the course of ten years i met many people while running my shop, all wanting to pass time with a little conversation. Sometimes this didn't extend beyond an exchange of comment on the weather......other times it would start with one person talking about their day/week so far and another customer joining in until we had a social club in the middle of my shop! As time passed i saw young couples marry, and have children and then see their children grow........i unfortunately lost a few customers of advancing years, some of whom i missed a great deal. They often stopped for a long chat, occasionally bringing me cakes and we would put the kettle on and have tea together and put the world to rights. Or they would share their life story with me.......some of them because they had no family to share this with, so very sad........
Not all my customers brought such a smile into the shop, and as the years passed i found retail much less rewarding than it had been. After my son was born i didn't return to the shop and then circumstances meant that we had to close the business down, and so now i often wonder about some of those people who i encountered in my shop and how their lives are carrying on.
During my time there i was fortunate enough to share in some truly joyful moments, and also sadly to have been a small part of some of the saddest events people will ever experience. I was exposed to human nature in all it's forms...........
I do think with the loss of so many of our independant shops we are losing this community, this contact with other humans, the larger shops just do not offer the same intimate level of contact with staff.
This time of year i do get a little nostalgic about my shop, i can remember the week before Christmas.....the rushing about, the happy chatter, the 'Have a Merry Christmas' call between myself and the customers.......
