Tired of retirement

My wife and I shop for groceries at a local Kroger store near our home. We take a different approach to shopping. I shop like a commando; my sole mission is to buy what I need and get out. My wife cuts coupons and shops for bargains. It says a lot about a store to gain my wife’s loyalty.

She has a special preference for this particular store because the employees are courteous and friendly. Ken is one of the employees we have gotten to know from our numerous shopping trips. He has been with Kroger for over thirty years and recently retired this past January. Ken always made a point of making us feel welcome.

In a previous conversation, we discussed his many years of service with Kroger. I told him it’s nearly impossible to remain with one employer for so many years. With corporate mergers and bankruptcies — job security has become a relic. Ken said he was fortunate to have remained with Kroger for so many years. He completed a job application, was hired, and never left.

He is an old school guy who still believes in employee loyalty and excellent customer service.

My wife and I enjoy our conversations with Ken. After passing the frozen food section, you can usually hear him sharing one of his many stories with a customer. He laughs like a man who truly enjoys his work.

Speaking to customers is another trait of an old school worker. I remember back in the 70s — managers and employees thought nothing of approaching a customer and inquiring about their shopping experience. This doesn’t seem to be an acceptable practice with many of today’s workers.

Times have really changed. In our day of modern technology, people can talk on a cell phone to someone miles away, but can’t say hello to someone standing two feet away. After a few months of retirement, we saw Ken back to work at Kroger. He said he was tired of being retired.

It’s good to see him back.