Apr/30
2010

You know it when you wind up behind one. I'm referring to the little old lady at the cashier with the bottomless handbag. "Oh, hee, hee, I know it's somewhere" or an endless stream-of-consciousness babble of pleasantries about the weather, the store, the items, the attendant or even themselves. Patiently you wait. Then less patiently. Then foot-tappingly irritated, all the way up the spectrum to collar-bursting-fire-breathing-fists-clenched-in-fury.

Still she's a'rootin' around in her cornucopia of doom.

Experienced one of those this morning. Even after she'd been waited on, transaction complete, finished, the employee making apologetic eye contact at the next gentleman in line, Granma Goddamn Mose wasn't gonna move an inch until everything was settled juuuust right in that bag of hers.

Keep in mind, it's not exclusive to the blue-hair brigade, I've seen plenty of middle aged women with the same bad habit. The harbinger is typically the checkbook, something that makes me wince. Another telltale is often the tri-fold, oversized wallet, often in Coach, Louis Vitton or Gucci. Taking up the entire payment counter they'll spread out deliberately, as if ready for their moment in front of the camera. Anything handed back during the transaction must be slowly and systematically replaced, receipts refiled and every button, snap or zipper put back just so. While you wait. Forever.

What's worse they fucking know they're holding you (and everyone else) up. And? They're enjoying it. While your teeth grind through any remaining enamel, they'll politely smile and finally start to move away. Pause theatrically to say good bye or "see you again soon" to the cashier. Then, at last, leave.

Next?

4 comments
Comment from: Roulette [Member] Email
I go to the self check out usually. One of the things I've discovered is that there a subclass of this type that loves to pay for groceries with CHANGE. I watched one person pay for a $40 ring up using nothing but a $5 bill and a huge bag of change. Not even all quarters.

No one she would have pulled that shit on a live checker.
04/30/10 @ 16:50
Comment from: bman [Member] Email
Rou: Self-checkout people seem just as bad, in fact many times worse I've discovered. They spend way too much time trying to bag alike items in their little sacks, then fiddle with the damned screen trying to scan coupons.

G1rl: This rant deserves hall of fame status.
05/01/10 @ 09:27
Comment from: Roulette [Member] Email
Oh, I wasn't trying to imply they were better. I agree they're often worse. A lot of extra variables there. Stupid people that can't figure out how to work the thing, or look up veggies codes. The actual machine refuses to accept something. People that take forever to bag and clear their groceries. And people pulling the big bag o' change bit I mentioned earlier.
05/01/10 @ 10:27
Comment from: odessa [Member] Email
U235, You got stuck behind my mother???!!!!! We seriously call her purse the black hole (she has a penchant for a black purse, always has). Never quite know what she will extract.

Difference is, she doesn't take joy in it, she is absolutely positively clueless.
05/02/10 @ 10:58
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