On a recent trip to the store to pick up some libation for a Christmas Party that evening, I think I reached a milestone in my life! I walked to the counter with my products and promptly set them up on the conveyor belt and waited contently as I made sure that every person in the 10 items and under line, actually had less than 10 items. It’s something I like to do. The funny thing is that even if you have over 10 items, I don’t say a word. It’s like the person goes down on some secret list and then maybe one day when I meet them again, I’ll automatically think to myself. “Oh Ya, you’re the person who doesn’t R-E-S-P-E-C-T (sing it) the 10 items or less line.” That’s assuming that I don’t have anything else to worry about in life and have that much time on my hands, which is not the case.
Ok back to the matter at hand, the person in front of me moved swiftly and conveniently, as if they knew that I had an appreciation for getting things done in the most efficient manner possible. I was content… I was happy! Things were moving along like a well oiled machine.
Just at that moment an elderly man cruised up in his hoveround with all of his items in the front basket. I was trying to give the person in front of me their personal space, but the guy in the hoveround, well lets just say he didn’t get the message. I would have helped him get his items out of the basket and on to the conveyor belt, but he so conveniently pushed me passed the point of even being able to reach the conveyor belt to a point that I’m sure the guy trying to finish his transaction in front of me might even had to cover the keypad when he put in his pin to complete his purchase.
So there I was pinned between a guy completing his purchase, “Hey what’s up?” and the hoveround man. Finally the guy in front of me is done and moves to the next stage in the supermarket evolution, The Parking Lot. I bid him farewell and wish him safety in his adventure.
As the lady behind the counter begins scanning my items the hoveround guy says something rather loudly. I look at the cashier to see if she understood what he said and she looks at me blankly. I then turned to him and said, “I’m sorry Sir, what did you say? Do you need something?” His reply, “Where’s my help?” in a rather gruff voice. I wasn’t sure what he was asking for or complaining about. I was confused, I thought, “Gosh I should have helped him with his groceries. I mean there were less than 10 items.”
Then…..
It happened….
The gal scanned my last item and a question popped up on the screen that said, “Does the buyer look older than 30?” She hit the yes button and asked me for payment.
What?????
Before pulling out my wallet, I think to myself, that must be some mistake. So I ask, “Umm, did that just say did I look older than 30?” She says yes and at this point I’m trying not to make her uncomfortable because who knows, maybe she just hit yes so that we could take care of the hoveround guy. I then laugh, 30, that seems a little young. I wish it would have said 40, 45, 50 I don’t know lets make it 100 so no one gets offended.
Maybe I’m a little sensitive because my 31st birthday is less than 2 months away… but for that day, I will never forget. Oh and don’t worry about hoveround man, we figured out he just wanted help out with his groceries.
