Once again, Ms. Cranky stood in a long line of people, waiting with all their things to check out and duly noted that the guy in front of her, a big guy, with a seemingly big attitude, stood and waited while all was checked out, didn’t help the cashier with the bags --- those guys never do, and, only at the very end of the transaction, did he seem to remember that he had to pay and, then, he took an inordinate amount of time looking for his wallet --- was in this pocket or that? Was it in his briefcase --- or, maybe behind his ear? He looked everywhere while the cashier stood mute with her eyes down and slowly, very slowly, the guy peeled out money, one bill at a time --- they love doing that.
And, Ms. Cranky just stood there watching with her charge card all ready ahead of time and her little key chain if they needed the store card thingamabob. She was READY TO GO, READY TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE so as not to bother her fellow shoppers or hold anyone up behind her, once again wondered --- did this guy think they were giving the groceries away, was there a sign that said “Customer Appreciation Day --- come on in, everything’s free today?”
Ms. Cranky was, once again, baffled. Why would a grown man, probably one with a good job (at least his groceries looked like he probably didn’t have to worry about cost), not think to pull out his form of payment before he got up to the cash register, then stand around watching the cashier tally it up, then watch as she bagged for him.
With buses, it’s pretty much the same. We all stand waiting for the bus in the rain complaining amongst ourselves that it’s late, then the bus finally comes, we’ve been there maybe 20 minutes and I put my umbrella down assuming I’m getting on the bus right away and that’s when the woman in front of me gets on and then and ONLY THEN decides to look for her Metrocard and I’m left out on the street with the rain pouring on me, aghast and wondering --- didn’t she have the past 20 minutes to get her Metrocard out before boarding the bus? Is she surprised she has to pay? Is this her first time on public transportation?
Sorry, if Cranky seems grouchier than usual today but did no one ever educate these people that there are others of us in the world and that they should be like thoughtful, dare I even use the word considerate? Cranky’s probably still upset about the huge group of us trying to come up the subway stairs on another pouring rain day and the young woman who had draped herself over half of the steps so the many of us trying to exit had to go up single file. She was there, of course, because she got good phone reception and the rest of us be damned --- forget it if they’re late to work --- let them eat cake!
Hey, people in line for a cashier, remember you have to PAY when you get up there, maybe you could prepare for that shocking situation ahead of time because we’re all stuck behind you and, maybe, you could stop talking on your cell phone at the ATM machine and push the buttons you need, so you can FINISH your transaction and those behind you in line can then have access to the machine.
That’s all for today. Ms. Cranky is upset all over again just writing this. But, thanks for stopping by. The sun’s out in out area and some say it may be out a few more days. Maybe the sun will help everybody snap into place for a bit. Cranky prays today and the days ahead go well and mostly kindly and thoughtfully for you.
Ms. CRANKY, November 8, 2011
Just another person in line with groceries, a rider of buses and subways, a user of ATM machines, a fellow stander-in-line.
No comments:
Post a Comment