Business owner struck dumb by bigoted rant

Dear Abby: I am a small business owner. My store has local (repeat) and one-time customers. The other day, while checking out, one of my local customers spewed out a bigoted rant. I was stunned speechless. I felt I should do something, but I wasn’t sure what it should be. I have started losing sleep over it. If it happens again, should I remain silent or stand up and lose this customer and probably more? — Freaked Out in Florida

Dear Freaked Out: If the rant your bigoted customer spewed was aimed at another shopper, you had a responsibility to protect the victim of the onslaught. In the future, state firmly that you don’t want that kind of talk in your establishment. While doing that may (or may not) lose you a few customers, you would at least be able to sleep better than you’re sleeping now.

P.S. It may also GAIN you some customers.

Dear Abby: I have been with the same doctor for 15 years, only requiring an annual checkup. The problem is, the office is about a 40-minute drive, longer if I hit a rush hour. I have stayed with the provider because the care is so good. However, I recently found a doctor who is 10 minutes away and provides the same quality of care. Do I call the original doctor to let them know I am leaving the practice? What is the protocol? — Good Patient in Michigan

Dear Patient: Contact your doctor’s office and ask that your medical records be sent to your new doctor’s office. In light of the fact that you have had a 15-year relationship with “Longtime Doctor,” it would be nice if you wrote a letter thanking him/her and explain that the commute has become more than you can now handle.