It’s a shame how many adults can’t show any compassion or empathy to service workers. I’m with you that shaming them risks making things worse. All they need is for someone to report them to corporate because another customer escalated things.

I usually just try to show them I noticed the other person being rude and to let the worker know it’s not their fault. I went to the pharmacy to get the latest Covid booster right after the other branch across town closed. Even though it’s the same company in the same town, they didn’t automatically transfer anyone’s prescriptions, so the people that didn’t know the sure e was closed were all yelling at the workers. They were extremely patient with the customers, much better than I could be.

When I finally got my shot, I thanked the pharmacist and jokingly asked her if she wanted me to yell at her on my way out so I wouldn’t mess up her flow of dealing with rude people. She had a good laugh and was happy to get someone that acknowledged she was busting her butt trying to help as much as she could. I couldn’t make her situation any better, but I at least could recognize her effort.

I’ve thought about them a lot since then, and I hope they get what they need from the walkout. Nobody deserves to get treated like that.