Everyday Situations Will Tell You a Lot About Some

5 min readDec 5, 2020

I work in retail. Although most people are friendly, there are a few who let their guard down and show their authentic characters.
Most people put on a facade in public. They know they need to be friendly, sometimes a bit superficial. It’s why you don’t honestly know what someone is like until you see their true colours.
To uncover someone’s personality, you need to see them with their guard down. What are they like when it doesn’t matter as much as what people think?
When shopping
As I mentioned earlier, retail brings out the ugly side to people’s character. It’s ironic really, as whereas some people’s facade wears off at the till, the job requires me to smile and be as friendly as possible, even when the customer is rude.
One of the most annoying instances is when a customer asks if you have a specific product in-store. “Unfortunately, we don’t at the moment,” I reply. They roll their eyes and walk off without a word.
It’s not much, but it gets my blood boiling. It wouldn’t take much to say “Thank you,” which goes to show the sort of person they are.
If you want to see someone’s true colours, go shopping with them. Retail staff aren’t robots, treat them accordingly.
Top tip: notice if they treat the cashier with humanity — looking at them, hanging up the phone, removing headphones.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NCAAFwk14Livest/
https://www.reddit.com/r/NCAAFwk14Livest/new/
https://www.reddit.com/r/NCAAFwk14Livest/top/
https://www.reddit.com/r/NCAAFwk14Livest/hot/
https://www.reddit.com/r/NCAAFwk14Livest/rising/
https://www.reddit.com/r/NCAAFwk14Livest/gilded/
https://www.reddit.com/r/NCAAFwk14Livest/wiki/index/

https://ralixo1684.medium.com/
https://medium.com/@ralixo1684/
https://medium.com/@ralixo1684/kentucky-council-unanimously-denies-request-for-independent-prosecutor-in-breonna-taylor-case-4062ba36139b
https://ralixo1684.medium.com/kentucky-council-unanimously-denies-request-for-independent-prosecutor-in-breonna-taylor-case-4062ba36139b

When there is a problem with their food/drink order
In my teenage years, I also worked in a bar/restaurant. Sometimes, in the middle of a busy shift when you have a million and one tasks to do, a mistake can slip through the cracks. Something isn’t ordered, or the wrong meal is brought out. It happens.
A lot of people seem to forget it is an easy mistake to fix. An error is much more likely to be quickly resolved if you are nice about it.
It’s not just food too. I remember, in one instance, I was one of three people serving a rammed bar of people. The queues were about four people deep, all of whom appeared to be vying for my attention.
I was trying to get to everyone as quickly as possible, so I, like everyone else serving, pick the next person we see to serve. Naturally, some don’t like that. Shouts of “I was first!” and “What about me?” ring out. Relax, everyone wants the same thing.
Top tip: note how your new date treats waiters and waitresses; it can be a glimpse into their personality early on.
Whether they say “please” and “thank you”
I imagine I may sound a bit like a ranting old man with a chip on his shoulder. While that’s not the case, this is important for judging someone’s character.
There have been times when I’ve been driving, someone has let me go, and I have completely forgotten to put my hand up to say thanks. I feel awful for a short while after, because I know exactly how I’d react:
“Oh NO, you’re welcome!” With a considerable undertone of sarcasm.
Sometimes, it is a mistake, especially when concentrating, for example. If they don’t say it regularly, however, then perhaps be wary. It doesn’t take a lot to be nice.
Top tip: if it annoys you, throw in a comment like I do to myself in the car (I promise I’m not a sad case). Gauge their reaction.
When they meet your pets (especially dogs)
I saw this idea on one of Ayodeji Awosika’s articles, and it got me thinking; I don’t know how you can’t love pets. I have always had cats at home, but I adore my girlfriend’s two labradors (especially the one named Max).
Dogs give you all of their love, so it’s sad to see when it isn’t returned. I recall just last week when my girlfriend and I were sat in a French cafe. Walking past was a woman holding one small dog in her arms and dragging another along while it was desecrating the walkway, to put it nicely.
While it did provide some cringeworthy entertainment watching people walk through it and then notice shortly after, it was tinged with sadness. If a person is cruel to a pet, they’re likely venting frustrations on the animal, which it doesn’t deserve.
Top tip: you’ll be able to see the full range of human emotions when someone is interacting with a pet. I am relatively unemotional, but that all changes when I see the dogs.
When putting furniture together
Putting furniture together requires patience and composure. Over the years, I’ve struggled as I am not exactly the handiest man in the world.
Last year, I screamed at some nails for “not fitting” the armchair I was putting up for my mum. It took me six hours and a lot of sweat to finish. So yeah, you could say I get hot-headed quite quickly.
That seems to have changed recently, however. I put my desk and chair together, and while there were some frustrating moments, I kept my cool, and it was quite an enjoyable process.
Top tip: not only can you gauge someone’s patience, but you can also judge their emotional progress. Is putting a chair together less stressful now? Or have they gotten worse?
How they are when they are drunk
Admittedly, this can be a tad unreliable. When you’re drunk, most of your worries tend to melt away. I am proud to admit I think I’m a friendly drunk. As my sister can attest to when she picks me up, I get very chatty. For some reason, I just don’t shut up and repeat the same story four times. When we get in, I then stroke the cat for 20 minutes.
Top tip: if he or she goes searching for a fight, it’s probably a sign they’re quite aggressive. Be careful.
Reacting to bad news
No one likes bad news, and no one enjoys helping people through bad news. It sucks feeling helpless as the person you love wants to be left alone when they’re going through a rough patch.
Bad news brings out perhaps the rawest reaction of them all. They may take it out on you or shut up shop and not want to talk.
Top tip: try not to rise when they take it out on you. You may feel the need, but it’ll only make things worse.
Final thoughts
People lack self-awareness. Studies have shown that people’s coworkers are better than they are at recognising how their personality will affect their job performance, according to The Atlantic. So it’s likely you’ll be able to understand someone better than they know themselves.

Everyday Situations Will Tell You a Lot About Some

Written by Ralixo