Sunday, December 18, 2005

Embarassed the Kids - Again

The wife and I and 2 kids were at a grocery store yesterday. This is not a normal grocery store. It's small, sparsely staffed, and carries few items, but the items they carry are so cheap it's unbelievable. For what they carry you can save 50 to 65% over a normal grocery store. It can be crowded, especially the first of the month when the welfare comes out.

We were in a long single line that snaked well back into the store. There were 2 cashiers, and just when we start to get close, they opened another register. The guy calls out "Can I help the next in line?" A lady 2 places behind me quickly jumps in. Everyone else in line looks at each other and rolls their eyes. But I wasn't going to let it go. I speak up "Now was that fair?"

She ignored me, but everyone else is looking at us.

I say it again. "Was that fair?"

She looks at me and says "I don't know what you're talking about."

I said "There is a single line, he called for the next in line, and you jump right in. You are obviously in a bigger hurry then anyone else here."

She's obviously flustered. The guy in front of me gives me a big smile and a wink. The old lady in the next line says disgustedly "it happens all the time." The cashier, who hasn't smiled at ANYONE gives me a smile when we get up. My wife says, to me only, "once a princess, always a princess."

And the lady? She left at almost a dead run.

I haven't done that in years, although I used to be the king of confrontation when something wasn't right. I never went looking for trouble, but if someone tried to take advantage of me or anyone else, I called them on it in a heartbeat. NEVER did I get physical, that's not my style, but I have a tongue that can cut deep.

It felt pretty good. :-)

5 comments:

Openfields said...

Argh!! Good for you for speaking up. I hope you made her second guess her actions for the remainder of her day.

Jon said...

Thanks for stopping by, Jacqui.

I've added a link to your blog.

Unknown said...

I love doing that kind of thing. As a matter of fact I get so bad with it that my parents don't like going shpping with me sometimes.

Maggs said...

You sound like my dad, LOL, and he's pushing 60!

jane said...

Line cutter in'ers...they're cheaters. 1 thing I've observed is that almost straight across the board, nobody tolerates them. It doesn't matter if you're 5, 15, 30, etc.
It's nice to know people still speak up.