Mrs. Hillbilly Mom's chip card saga continues. On Thursday, I wheeled my cart around Country Mart, heady with excitement, knowing that I could now use my new debit chip card that had finally arrived. I was an old hand now, having successfully used it in The Devil's Playground, and even interrogated Farmer H on the process at Country Mart.
I loaded my cart with the necessities. Diet Coke in 20-oz bottles (at a semi-sale price of three 6-packs for $10.00), a bag of yellow onions (because they only had two sad white onions, my desired item), bandaids (store brand because it was on sale, $1.59 cheaper than the brand name), sugar free candy for Farmer H (because he likes to pretend to comply with his health needs at home, except with his ice cream), ice cream cups for Farmer H (the tile floor is fixed, by cracky, so I didn't get stuck like a mouse on a sticky trap), and Banquet TV Dinners, BBQ Rib version (because Farmer H came home from the auction last weekend, and smelled one that I had microwaved, and raved to me that whatever I had cooked for my supper smelled delicious...which probably says more than I want to reveal about my cooking skills).
The checkout people were standing around jawing, not even behind their registers. I went to the first counter, where the old lady who's 81 (but looks 65) usually works. She wasn't there that day, and I got a younger one who looked older. I didn't have a full cart. Just those few things. Checky had some trouble scanning my onion bag.
"I was gone one day, and they switched things up on me!"
"Oh, that's okay. I'm just learning to use my new chip card."
Checky looked at me and said nothing other than, "Is that a debit?" Even though the choice was right ahead of me on the card scanner, for me to select.
Checky called over the 20-something dude, Checkster, who had not-helped me when their scratcher machine took my money and wouldn't spit out a ticket.
"I don't see it here. They're different."
"Right there. At the top."
Again, I mentioned that I was just learning to use my chip card.
"Oh, we don't use the chip," said Checkster.
Well. Alrighty then. I swiped my new chip card just like my old debit card that I would have kept another year and used with wild abandon, had it not been scheduled for deactivation by those darn bank card people when they sent me the unwanted chip card. I pushed the buttons like usual, and got $25 cash back. That's their limit. Fine with me. I don't use the grocery store as a bank like my favorite gambling aunt uses The Devil's Playground.
Checky was befuddled. "It keeps saying that the customer changed the amount." Which, I think, is pretty standard operating procedure when you ask for cash back.
Checkster pointed to the top screen on his third try to find it. "There. Don't forget to give her that cash back."
SWEET GUMMI MARY! I shudder to think how long that transaction might have taken if I'd actually tried the chip, and Checky had to help me.
Anyhoo...I got home, and told Farmer H, "Country Mart says they don't use the chip."
"Well, I used it there just yesterday!"
Sure he did. Probably to pay for his deli carb-loading breakfast of biscuits and gravy. Maybe their new system just went into effect. Or maybe Farmer H is insinuating that I lied to him about the chip reader.
He acts like a real Richard sometimes.
I read the last line and it threw me... for half of a second.
ReplyDeleteOh, the retirement fun and games has already started. Today the chip game. What will the next game focus on?
Sioux,
ReplyDeleteWHAT? I lobbed that one to you like a fat softball, right over the plate, waiting for you to hit it out of the park! It's not like I called him "Mulva" instead of "Delores."
The bloom is definitely off the retirement rose.
I think it's more a case of the checkout girl not having a clue, with Checkster knowing just a bit more. When new systems come in, don't they get training sessions? We did every time new software was installed in the system. Sometimes it was just an information how-to sheet handed around.
ReplyDeleteHM--It was Friday evening--after 10--when I read it. I'd been teaching all week. You know, working. You remember that? I was exhausted, had just yawned for two hours in an event that I thoroughly enjoyed, struggling to stay awake.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it was an easy volley, and I had to run to return it. Your posts are usually so highbrow and intellectually obscure, HM, I wasn't looking for horses. I was looking for zebras...
Most of the places here have finally got a chip reader. In Europe they've gone beyond the chip, they say the chip's too easy to hack. Maybe in 10 years we'll catch up.
ReplyDeleteI got that! I also have a Richard in residence. The clerk did not know how to use the machine. Just like the clerk at Big Lot who refused to take my $40 worth of quarters, saying that they "don't do that". I called out for a manager and they do "do that".
ReplyDeleteMac n' Janet,
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh. There's some kind of agenda here, my conspiracy theory mind says. How can we ever stay ahead of the hackers?
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Kathy,
You're pretty sharp at detecting Richards. I guess these checkers are like Farmer H, with most of the facts he spouts. They think you'll believe them and not call them out on their obvious nonsense.
River,
ReplyDeleteMaybe she was just as bad with technology as I am. It's hard to teach us old dogs new tricks. They probably had a morning meeting and were set loose to deal with it.
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Sioux,
WORK? What in the Not-Heaven is THAT? As far as my blogging style...yes, if you want highbrow entertainment, come HERE! I shall leave no dead chipmunk unturned.