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July 29, 2011 8 Comments

Don’t press the big red button!

I was walking by the seafood department of my local Harris-Teeter grocery store earlier this month and saw this:

The big red button

Is this or is this not a button that is begging to be pushed? The bright red color, the arrows pointing at the button, and the oversized text taunt me every time I stroll past. It makes me start to hum that Salt N’ Pepa song, “Push It.” I so badly want to reach out and push this button.

I have never ordered anything from the seafood counter, so I doubt I will ever have a legitimate reason for pushing the big red button. Yet, just looking at the picture makes me want to go the grocery store, press the button and run away. I’d like to imagine it would set off a siren and drop confetti from the ceiling or launch fireworks or something similarly spectacular. More likely it would just summon a guy in a hairnet to the counter.

I sort of wonder if this button is part of a psychology experiment instead of an effort to provide better service. I imagine there must be plenty of kids walking by who jab their sticky little fingers at it. I am showing my age here, but it reminds me of The Big Green Button web page from yesteryear, which is apparently still online. This is just the real world equivalent. Don’t push the button!

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Leave a Comment (8) Read more about: big green button, big red button, button, temptation

Jennette Fulda is the author of:

Chocolate & Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn't Go Away

"Smart, unflinchingly honest, and laugh-out-loud funny."

- Lisa Genova, New York Times best-selling author of Still Alice

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Comments

  1. Shirley @ gfe says

    July 29, 2011 at 8:40 pm

    I’d want to press it, too. I confess that sometimes I see those red fire alarms and I want to pull them, too. But I never do … thanks goodness. 😉

    Shirley

    Reply
  2. Angie says

    July 30, 2011 at 12:44 pm

    I would so press it and ask for help finding something else in the store as there is never anyone around when I can’t find something!

    Reply
  3. Debby says

    July 31, 2011 at 9:05 pm

    I would totally have to push that button!

    Reply
  4. Dup says

    August 1, 2011 at 10:58 am

    I’m just back from a walk around campus. Here & there they have these poles with a blue flashing light on top, and a button on the side to push if you need help. When I passed by it today, I wondered what would happen if I pushed the button and them got the Hell out of there? Campus cops are kind of a joke, but I suppose they would be pretty mad at me if they caught me.

    Reply
  5. Fran says

    August 2, 2011 at 1:06 am

    The meat department at our local Smith’s (Kroger) store has a button to get the staff’s attention. When you press it, it makes mooing cow noises and oinking pig noises. It’s hard not to just press it as you walk by, and I’m pretty sure the little kids just press it because of the noises…See n’ Say anyone?

    Reply
  6. carol says

    August 2, 2011 at 12:04 pm

    I was trying to push the button through my monitor!

    Reply
  7. Nancy says

    August 2, 2011 at 6:21 pm

    Your post made me think of an old Ren & Stimpy cartoon – with the Big red shiny history eraser button that Ren must try to resist. I couldn’t find a really good youtube link, but you can get the idea from the address below.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DUmoJNQK2o&feature=related

    Reply
  8. Nancy says

    August 2, 2011 at 6:25 pm

    correction: that is Stimpy, not Ren.

    Reply

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