JennetteFulda

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
    • Blog
    • Archives
    • Travel and Adventure
    • Weight-Loss Blog Title Generator
  • Books
    • Books
    • Half-Assed: A Weight-loss Memoir
    • Chocolate & Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn’t Go Away
  • Timeline
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Advertising

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!

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • More
  • Print
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

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

  • Amazon
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Powell's
  • Indiebound
You may also like:
Post navigation
Later: Friday browser history roundup
Earlier: Be-Utah-ful
Home: Main blog index

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

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I wrote some books

Chocolate & Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn’t Go AwayHalf-Assed: A weight-loss memoir

Follow Me

Jennette Fulda on Facebook

Recent Posts

  • Dooce and Julie Powell were great writers, but also innovative businesswomen
  • That billionaire brat made me feel bad that Twitter is imploding
  • No one grows old on DVD or CD-ROM
  • Losing more than 100 pounds…again: Part 3 – The Differences
  • Losing more than 100 pounds…again: Part 2 – Losing Weight
566

Travel and Adventure

Weight-Loss Blog Title Generator

Most Popular Posts

  • Two weeks of Blue Apron: Six recipes, one blogger, and not enough bowls.
  • Remind me never to go off my meds again
  • Like the back of my hand
  • The Big Move in Retrospect: Everything good and the bad about moving from Indianapolis to Chapel Hill
  • It’s hard to type when you break your arm
  • My health insurance denial letters. Past or future?
  • Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: Day 1, Getting there is half the fun!
  • Not a picture I’ll be bragging about

Blog Archives

Search

Know thyself, quiz Monday

Jennette Fulda tells stories to the Internet about her life as a smartass, writer, chronic headache sufferer, (former?) weight-loss inspiration, and seemingly nice person (who is silently judging you). You can contact her if you promise to be nice.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for keyboards ruined by coffee spit-takes or forehead wrinkles caused by deep thought.

Follow Me

Blog Archives

Newsletter

One day I might actually e-mail something to my mailing list. If you want to be there for that moment, sign up below.

AS SEEN IN

  • The Washington Post
  • The Today Show
  • The New York Times
  • The Wall Street Journal
  • The Globe and Mail
  • Associated Press
  • Women's Health
  • Glamour
  • Shape Magazine
  • Runner's World
  • Health
  • The Early Show
  • MSNBC
Copyright © 2023 Jennette Fulda • All Rights Reserved • Privacy Policy • Site design by Makeworthy Media