Counting

I consider myself to be an intelligent person- lots of schooling, life & job experience etc. I feel as though when I don my cashier uniform that a lot of people assume that your IQ drops.

Even though I am a cashier- guess what? I can still count.

I absolutely hate when people come to the express lane (10 items or less, clearly posted, and fairly common for express lanes anywhere) and people throw up 15 or 20 items.

I will note that I don't mind when someone has a few items over and says is it ok? I don't mind when you ask- if you're nice. I should also note, as this has happened about 1089348903 times, that 20 items of the same thing (i.e. 20 cans of cat food, or soap, whatevs,) DOES NOT count as '10'. People seriously do this, and they say "well since it's all of one thing I thought it was ok". Um, no it is not, that is still 20 separate items and I can count.

I think the best thing is when people come up, they have too many and they're kind of eyeing me in hopes that i don't know. Um hi, I physically scan each thing through plus bag it, the jig is up- you have too many!

One thing that really gets me too is the people who wait in a huge line-up, come up with too many items and say "Sorry, i hope this is ok?". Um well you're already here, you're on my belt, I'm not going to kick out out now- little sneaks!

Just a little rant about a legit problem in the life of a cashier- I assure you that others can attest.

Happy shopping and no sneaking!

Grocery store rant

I have a slight issue with flyers for grocery stores, particularly when they have a giant, and I mean like half a page, photo of raw meat! Does this entice anyone? Me? Not so much- show me a big cooked hamburger or a nice cooked steak-then I think mmmm steak- What gets me too is that the picture is so large! It is just a bug hunk of beef. See above photo, which would make you purchase beef on sale?

I can't even tell you how many times someone purchases one of those pre-cooked roasted chickens and on my break i just want to buy one and eat it. Not in a barbaric manner, I would use a fork and knife but still, all I want is one chicken-all to myself.

Also, as a cashier, I ring through about a billion products per shift (give or take a billion) and you end up with the most random cravings. Bags of marshmallows (um why?) jar of pickles, new kind of chips -- all kinds of junk that you don't really want but something sparks weird cravings and you end up buying them!

Err....congrats?? I'm sorry?

So as many of you know, I have the privilege of working as a cashier at a local grocery store. sometimes it can be utterly frustrating, funny, weird, and entertaining. so I've started a new category, 10 items or less, to share my experiences.

Two observations came from a recent shift:

1) I've worked as a grocery cashier on and off for about three years. Over time I've grown to ignore what people are buying. Mostly because I don't care, or people are buying things that I don't want to know why they are buying it or why they are using it. (i.e. people buying lube. I've been told that it can be used on windshields for rain protection, sort of like the product RainX, so when I see someone buying this and it makes me shutter, I assume it's for their windshield) But occasionally a product catches my eye. Enter pregnancy tests.

Usually mixed with the regular milk, snacks and other regular groceries, there is a pregnancy test.

So when I see these I cannot help but wonder: are they excited, or are they like eff my life!

And you know what? It's really hard to tell. And based on my observations I've come to a conclusion: There's no gray area- people are either very excited or they look like they might throw up on my grocery belt. (Note: please don't throw up on my belt or I will quit)

Observation 2: I also have the privilege of observing many awkward social situations. Sometimes people argue over who is going to pay and both people are pushing each other's hands out of the way to pay, as if I'm going to decide who's paying. Um...................nooo thanks-that's awkward!

I also have the pleasure of seeing people get mad at the people who are with them. Sometimes it's a stressed out parent with a kid crying bc hey can't get candy etc. Last night I observed a couple fight. Wait, "fight".

Turns out, it was actually the most hilarious disagreement I've seen. I told them their total and the husband went to reach for his wallet, didn't have enough cash and asked his wife what she had. She replied "Don't you have your credit card?" of which he checked one more pocket and found it, within 2 seconds mind you. While I was ringing through the credit card, she said "Hunnie? I'm sorry for being so exacerbated, but I was annoyed because you didn't check all of your pockets." His reply "That's ok hunnie, I only checked one pocket so I don't blame you." and that was it- the funniest couple disagreement between a real-life Ned and Maud Flanders. I don't know if they are both therapists, have attended therapy or are genuinely calm, reasonable people but it was the most hilarious disagreement when it came to paying that I've seen. And probs to the lady for busting out the word "exasperated" like it's no big thing. It was a text-book apropriate way to manage a conflict between too people.

Perhaps we can take lessons away of getting into small fights, or we can be normal and do it our own way.