Once upon a time I made some remarks in the comments section of this here blog supporting Albertson’s. No sooner had I done that than I started to understand why people hate the chain so much. One checker overcharged me by $20, which I’d never have caught if, noting his lacksadaisical attitude, I hadn’t been more observant than usual. Grocery baggers would noticeably avoid certain checkers and, consequently, my damn groceries. Checkers would complain to their managers, in front of me. Worst, everyone seemed to be going through the motions of their jobs with sullen faces and bad attitudes. It had become pretty bad, and I was considering defecting to Tom Thumb (after all, that’s where editor Keri Mitchell says all the cute neighborhood guys shop). And then last night happened. First off, there appeared to be a lot of turnover. I noticed quite a few new faces. And here’s the big thing: probably no fewer than seven employees asked me how I was doing, did I need any help, could they assist me in locating an item. Would I please have a nice evening? I wasn’t even making eye contact when most of these offers of help rang out. It’s like some Mandate of Nicety was enforced and the Basic Tenets of Customer Service manual became required reading. So, with reluctance, I guess I’ll give Albertson’s one more chance. But I’ll be sure to tell you if they screw up again.