Would you pick it up?

amother

Salmon

Wed, Dec 14 2016, 5:46 pm

I was out grocery shopping today.
I was picking some fruits and vegetables, when a guy right next to me knocked over some tomatoes, they rolled right near me and on to the floor near my feet.
I moved away so the guy would be able to pick them up, but he ignored them and walked away.
Would you have picked them up or left them?

pizza4

Wed, Dec 14 2016, 6:11 pm

amother wrote:

What if you were 8 months pregnant?

I think I'd try and tell a store worker that some fruit fell on the ground, or gently push it to the side with my foot so that it's not in the way?

amother

Salmon

Wed, Dec 14 2016, 6:15 pm

pizza4 wrote:

I think I'd try and tell a store worker that some fruit fell on the ground, or gently push it to the side with my foot so that it's not in the way?

So that's what I did- I moved them with my foot so they were out of the way.
I hope no one saw that and assumed I dropped them, I've been second guessing myself since.

trixx

Wed, Dec 14 2016, 7:44 pm

In general in a Jewish store if I drop produce I pick it up since to me (never checked with a rav) it's genaiva - ruining his produce
If I couldn't pick it up I would move it out of the way. And not worry if someone saw me. It's my job not to do Maris ayin but it's their job to be dlkz

seeker

Thu, Dec 15 2016, 2:26 am

amother wrote:

I might say something like "Oh sir, look, some of your tomatoes dropped!" Like, "I bet you didn't notice or you surely would have picked them up" Twisted Evil

watergirl

Thu, Dec 15 2016, 6:46 am

amother wrote:

What if you were 8 months pregnant?

Well, are you 8 months pregnant? Why wasnt that part of your op? Sorry, I think its strange to see something fall and then leave it. Or kick it. Why not go tell a store worker "a man knocked over a bunch of tomatos and I would have picked them up but I cant bend down".

Iymnok

Thu, Dec 15 2016, 7:09 am

trixx wrote:

Btw, geneiva also applies to non-jews.
Dont worry, its a common mistake in many communities. It is the same issur when stealing from a jew or g*y.

watergirl

Thu, Dec 15 2016, 8:57 am

I wanted to add - I see this all the time at stores. Someone drops something and leaves it. Or maybe doesn't notice that it dropped, walks away, and then I see the people standing right next to it look down at the fallen merchandise, take note of it, and walk away. I'm usually the one who goes and picks it up. I'm also usually the one who helps the store worker pick up the mess even if I'm not the one who caused it.
Why dont people help? Why is it even a question?

lfab

Thu, Dec 15 2016, 9:08 am

Personally, yes I would try to help pick them up. Even if I wasn't the one who dropped them it's still a nice act of kindness to help someone else clean up a mess that they caused (just as I would appreciate others helping me pick up if I was the one to drop something). Even at 8 months pregnant I would try to help pick them up (maybe if he sees a heavily pregnant woman making the effort to bend it would make him feel bad about leaving it and more likely to pick up what he dropped). However, if I really felt that I couldn't do it (which is definitely not unreasonable at the end of pregnancy) then I would brush them to the side and leave them.
On a separate note, I would also try not to judge him for leaving them on the ground. Just as it was hard for you to bend down to help clean up maybe he also had a reason why it was too difficult for him to bend (back injury, arthritis, etc.). Hopefully if this was the case he would have found a store employee and explained the situation to them so that they can clean up.

amother

Periwinkle

Thu, Dec 15 2016, 9:37 am

amother wrote:

What if you were 8 months pregnant?

Yeah, I would. By automatic reflex. Or I would try. I can't guarantee I would succeed. You're talking to a woman who was in her sixth month with twins, holding a toddler on her hip, and bent down to pick up a tissue she dropped on the floor as she was standing in an airplane aisle waiting to use the restroom. I said I'm polite, I never said I was smart.

I would NOT pick up someone else's dropped tissue, though. I may not be smart but I'm not a complete idiot.