In a busy, small restaurant, I encountered a cashier, who could have benefited from that advice. Having finished eating, I had stood in line, then had handed to the cashier, my check and money that required ten dollars in change. I had not spoken to him, nor had he spoken to me as he was talking non-stop to the man standing behind me in the line.
He barely glanced at the money as he hurriedly collected the change from the cash register and thrust it into my hand.
After looking at the money, I told him that he had given me the wrong amount. I repeated it twice, the second time speaking louder than before.
For the first time, he looked at me and said so loudly, and harshly that everyone in the restaurant stopped talking. "Lady, I never make mistakes, I've been doing this for twenty years. Leave, you're holding up the line!"
Speaking loudly so that everyone could hear, I said, "I have tried twice to tell you, but you ignored me, so if you never make mistakes, I want to thank you for giving me $50 in change instead of the expected $10."
I waved the $50 bill above my head as I went out the door, his now nicer, but frantic voice followed me out, "Lady, come back, come back."
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Marian Thurwell of Australia advises, "During the day, but especially at night, when walking on a city sidewalk, always walk in the center, not on the edges."
"If you walk too close to a building, it is easy for someone to grab you and quickly pull you into an open doorway."
"If you walk too close to the curb, it is also easy for someone to open a car door to block your way, then to pull you into a car."
"But this can be avoided if you always walk so that your are facing on-coming car traffic, this ensures that parked cars are facing the same direction. In other words, always walk from the front of parked cars towards the rear, so that if a car door is opened, the door is between you and the person opening the door.
"Any place." Marian continued, "where sidewalks adjoin buildings and you want to turn at the corner, never blindly walk around the corner without first knowing who is on the other side."
"Always, with no hesitation, walk to the curb first, then while appearing to be looking both ways for traffic, look at the sidewalk where you want to walk. If in doubt, cross the street and turn there."
It is best to avoid possible unsafe areas, but if you find yourself in such an area, review Marian's advice first, then proceed with confidence.
