The reason(s) as to why people quit their jobs can vary greatly between individuals. For some it may be an impulsive decision and to others, just the opposite but sometimes, like in the case of Sammy it is a combination of both. Sammy quit his job for reasons that could be missed if the reader does not take the time to dissect the true meanings of what Sammy says throughout the story “A&P”. Sammy decided to give up his job at the grocery store because he never enjoyed working there and because of the interactions between Lengel and the three girls who wandered into the store. Sammy subliminally tells the readers how he doesn’t like working there at the store and how he thinks he could do much better for himself somewhere else. Sammy tells us how he doesn’t want to end up like his co-worker, Stokesie, who sees the security of working there and doesn’t want to move away from it anytime soon. Stokesie already has “two babies chalked up on his fuselage…” and Sammy doesn’t see the point in that” (Updike 2). Sammy also relays to us that his family’s affairs are “real racy” (Updike 3). He shows that he wants to be in the more upper class range of society much like he pictures the girls are. The girls’ affairs were much classier in his mind where her “father and the other men … [stand] around in ice cream coats and bow ties…” (Updike 3). Sammy always had the desire to quit the job and move on to something bigger and better but never had that one reason that would make his decision final until the girls walked in. The girls represented something to Sammy that was different, unique and desirable. When Sammy first saw “Queenie” and her two followers he was taken back. From the very beginning Sammy knew that she was desirable both physically and socially. He takes notes of “Queenie’s” appearance and social status. He describes in great detail what he is seeing which helps us to realize how much he admires her. When Lengel, the manager, confronts the girls on their swim suit attire and tells them that they are not appropriately dressed for the store Sammy feels like he should stand up for them. In a last ditch attempt to be the girls’ unsuspected hero he tells Lengel that he quits. Even though this attempt may seem like a waste because of the fact that Queenie and her followers didn’t even notice this attempt it really wasn’t. Sammy had always wanted to quit and this incident helped him to do just that. Sammy had always wanted to quit his job at A&P but never had a reason to do so. The girls, especially Queenie, provided this reason and allowed for Sammy to do exactly what he wanted to.