Pet Tracks
Jan Jaeger

When you read this article, it will be the last day of August, or later. As this month takes its leave, I think the entire island breathes a collective sigh of relief. We call March “Hate Month,” but in

actuality, I think August is our hate month.

I don’t know what it is about August, but people definitely are crankier and more demanding.

I watched a woman in front of me at the Stop & Shop checkout line the other day. It was the line with the broken belt and the hand lettered sign to push your groceries forward to the checker; you know the one.

The shopper unloaded all her groceries at the end of the non-functioning conveyor belt, walked past two of these signs, apparently without observing what they said, and stared blankly at the checker when asked to move her groceries forward. The checker finally had to stretch herself around her register to move the food items.

When it came time to pay, this same woman, apparently totally helpless, grandly handed her credit card to the checker instead of swiping the card herself.

People are disgruntled and vocal about what things cost. I received a note from a customer the other day. It was signed, but it took me a while to figure out the purpose of this correspondence. This gentleman spent 37 cents for a first class postage stamp to return two receipts. I can only assume the point he was trying to make.

I think he was registering a complaint that some items he had purchased earlier this summer had now increased a total of one dollar when purchased later this summer.

Now, we all know the cost of living on Nantucket is high and likely to get higher. Those of us who live here and have businesses here yearround know only too well how expensive the cost of doing business is on our island.

It is a common misconception of our visitors that they should be able to buy the same items or services for the same prices they pay “back home.” Back home shopping usually involves big box stores that buy in massive quantities, pay employees minimum wage and have ancillary supplies and services readily available and at reasonable cost. On an island 30 miles from anywhere we don’t have those advantages.

This season has been particularly difficult. Many island businesses struggled to obtain helpers. The H-2B Visa crisis early on left many employers uncertain about the availability of seasonal workers and created a game of “Can you top this?” as workers bargained for higher paying jobs.

Rapidly escalating fuel costs have also impacted our businesses. For example, in my business, all of our supplies must be trucked to a central shipper, whether UPS or local carrier, then brought over here on the boat.

In essence, we are charged by the pound for every single item in our shop, and our cost per pound keeps increasing.

I don’t mean to imply that all August people are insensitive or hyper-critical, but I’m not alone in my August perceptions. I was working the shop’s front desk when a customer approached with her selections. As we routinely do, I asked if we might have her name listed in our customer database. This query pushed her over the edge.

She exploded, “I doubt it — I’m one of those Awful August People! I don’t really think I’m awful; I stop and let people walk across the street and wave cars through at intersections. I don’t block up the aisles at the supermarket. I don’t stand in the middle of Main Street trying to decide which shop to visit. I don’t walk into stores or restaurants plugged into my cell phone. I don’t treat the people behind the counter like slaves. And yet everybody hates me because I’m an Awful August Person!”

My grossly insufficient muttering, “Of course, I don’t hate you!” was wasted as she careened out through the door.

Anyone who sees a quantity of people daily would agree there is a difference in the level of energy, if you will, in August. Maybe those of us who serve are wearing a little thin and our patience and sense of humor are flagging.

Maybe elements of our behavior are discourteous and we exude an unwelcoming attitude. Perhaps, a visitor’s anonymity tempts a baser nature, both theirs and ours.

Lest I get too one-sided in my comments, though, I am reminded of a running commentary in the Letters to the Editor. For several weeks now, the topic of unleashed dogs frightening or attacking people enjoying our outdoors has produced irate letters.

Let’s remember that there is an island-wide leash law. Let’s not use the anonymity of strangers to behave as poor hosts. Interaction and visibility in a small community reinforces good manners and responsible behavior. And a part of that responsible behavior is to be careful and considerate pet owners, even in August.

Jan Jaeger is owner of Geronimo’s, Ltd., Nantucket’s pet supply and gift shop and is a member pf DWAA and CWA (Dog and Cat Writer’s Associations of America). Her pets at home are Junior, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and three cats. At the shop are the cats Messrs. Fish and Chips, Flower bunny, Millie guinea pig and three budgies. Send e-mail to jan@geronimos.com.

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