Monday, May 27, 2019

It's The End Of The Line As We Know It

I don't even know where to start any more! People these days can't grasp the rudimentary concept of A LINE that forms to wait a turn.

I stepped through the doors of Casey's (NOT the one that ripped me off for five dollars!) on Sunday, shortly before noon. There were only a few cars in the parking lot. Nobody was at the counter. The clerk greeted me, and I handed her my winning scratcher to cash in. As she was tearing off the new tickets I'd requested, a kid (probably in the 18-22 range) came in and stood behind me. That's how it should be.

The Kid seemed a little impatient, but maybe that's just how he's wired. He kind of jiggled around, flapping the money in his hand. Which is surprising, really, because a lot of that age people only use plastic. Anyhoo... I had no issue with The Kid, other than he seemed to not like waiting for me to complete my transaction, even though I'd been in the store before he entered. He didn't say anything. Just a vibe.

As the clerk was scanning my new tickets, a young couple walked up beside me, at my left shoulder. As I turned to glance their way, wondering, What in the NOT-HEAVEN are you doing, I noticed a slice of pizza in a bag, and a bag of beef jerkey, laying on the counter. I guess they had started to pay, then left to gather other items for purchase. Too bad, so sad! You cannot save your place in line with a slice of pizza and a bag of beef jerky!

I turned right, to exit with my tickets, and the clerk asked The Kid if she could help him. Heh, heh! No staking a claim at the Casey's counter! Form a line!

Maybe they need a bright yellow sign on the front of the counter, for people to look at while they wait, explaining the concept of a line.

3 comments:

Sioux Roslawski said...

I got into a semi-argument at QT. Some guy passed me up and bellied up to the counter off to the side. I said (nicely), "The line is here," but he replied, "I don't think so" and stood his cheated-for ground. Luckily, I was able to sidestep him and got waited on before the jerk could be waited on.

And REM? Really?

River said...

I've noticed that too. Most places here, people will line up but there are some shops where everyone just stands around like a crowd. I don't know how they get served because I never stop there, I go to where people are civilised and lined up. It happens in bus queues too, in one street people are lined up along the length of the footpath, when a bus arrives those who want that bus step out of line and form a new line to get onto the bus. Where I catch a bus in a different street, people mill around like sheep and when they see the bus is coming then then begin forming a line, but most of them can't see that far so by the time they know which bus it is, I'm at the front of the line so I can get my favourite seat.

Hillbilly Mom said...

Sioux,
Wow! You, Madam, are certainly spry, able to sidestep ne'er-do-wells with impunity! As for REM, it lent itself to the occasion.

***
River,
Way to outsmart the masses and nab your favorite seat!