Calling the 2011 Summer

It’s officially spring and what I’m wondering is what will the 2011 Hamptons summer season bring from a rudeness rating?

Right about now the renters are taking their tours with realtors to find their dream rental home and the owners are getting their estates all gussied up.

Realtors please share your stories.

Will the reports of rudeness will beat last year?

We’ve got more bumper stickers waiting for you to share your story with us.

The Editor

Paranoid Profiling Employees in the Emporium

On a snowy December morning I rushed to The Emporium in Sag Harbor to get a part for a failed toilet. The store had not opened on time and I had to wait outside with other customers.

I was looking in the plumbing department for the needed part and noticed that the help was carefully avoiding offering to help me. I continued my search and heard from behind me one of the young gentlemen employed there saying loudly, "I'm going for coffee" then refering to me in the other aisle he said, "watch him," like I was some kind of potential thief.

After he left I found the part I was looking for and went to pay. A teenage boy was at the counter with an embarrassed look on his face and I said to him, "I was offended by the comment 'watch him' when he should have said 'can I help you?'"

This group of youthful employees are rude and have an "attitude" when it comes to being helped. This is not the first time I have observed this in this store. In all fairness, I must say that another employee did go out of his way to help me at another time but the general feeling I get in this store is disdain for the customers.

I am an East End retailer and would never treat my customers this way. I grew up in Sag Harbor and I think the young employees of this store need an attitude adjustment. They are not even a shadow of the old Emporium or Barry's Hardware.

-J

Pretend Deaf Customer Service In WHB

Going into Beach Bakery in Westhampton Beach this Saturday, I didn't expect to find any rude people, since it is the beginning of November and the summer people are long gone--boy, was I wrong!

I go to the self-serve coffee area to make myself and my collegue a cup of coffee.  I notice the both the half-and-half and non-fat milk containers are empty.  The girl at the register is busy ringing someone up, so I look for other assistance.  There is another girl behind the counter; looks like she was cleaning something up behind the counter.

"Excuse me", I say meekly.  No answer.  "Um, I'm sorry...excuse me", I say again.  Again, no answer.  I try a bit louder: "Excuse me...I'm sorry...do you have more milk?"

She does not answer, but this time, she looks in my direction and continues doing whatever it is she is doing back there.  One more time..."Uh..excuse me?  You're out of non-fat and half-and-half....", again, NOTHING!  Finally, I look her staight in the eye, and say, "Can you hear me?" I swear to God for a moment there, I thought maybe she was deaf!

She finally answers snidley, "Yeah, I can hear you fine, I'm just busy!", and proceeds to WALK AWAY.

I left my coffee on the counter and walked out the door.

-K

Old Montauk continues to fade away

I would just like to make a comment on the beautiful south shore of Long Island. When I was a child my mom and dad took me out to Amagansett and we stayed in Gansett green (over 40 years ago).

Over the years I have gone out to Montauk multiple times every year. Realized years ago that "the Hamptons" is not the place for me. Love the small town feel of Montauk and respect the natural beauty and therefore the year round residents wanting to keep it the way it has been for years and years.

I have stayed in many different hotels in montauk. Recently the Montauk Yacht Club (which I have stayed many times) did a complete renovation. After the renovation, the rates went up by approx. 300%

A room now costs $600 per night.

This is ridiculous and what I believe will be the reason why this resort will only have rude, "entitled" guests to stay at this resort. Not that all people who can afford to spend$600 per night for a room are rude, but I believe this marks the downfall of the beautiful Montauk area if average hard working people can not enjoy this area.

I don't know if I have explained myself correctly, but I am not one to write such comments, so my fingers are beginning to cramp up.

Hoping to enjoy many more relaxing times out in Montauk, but no longer at the Montauk Yacht Club.

-Tom

Ignorance is bliss on the Hampton Jitney

I took the Hampton Jitney (a rare occurrence) and witnessed the following:

There were two men sitting a row ahead of me. They were seated next to each other but they weren't together.

One man was quiet and an older gentleman, he was very thin and looked like a college professor type. The other man was younger (mid-forties) and a typical cidiot - type. He was fat and pompous and dressed in an expensive suit and flashy Cartier watch.

The cidiot was speaking LOUDLY on his cell phone for what seemed like 45 minutes. No one said anything to him and neither did the Jitney host even though she should have. After a long while the cidiot finally finished his phone call that everyone on the bus had just heard half of.

There was a moment of silence.

Then the cidiot picked up his cell phone again and started dialing.

The older gentleman turned to him gently and said, "excuse me, did you know there was a limited cell phone policy on the Jitney?"

The cidiot turned to the old man and screamed "hey a**hole FU** You!!!" and then preceded to make his phone call that he was on until the end of the bus ride.

-S