I was back in Country Mart on Friday, for some Hawaiian Pretzel Slider Buns, Coke for The Pony, a pack of pinwheels from the deli (because my fried chicken friend came over to chat and told me she made them fresh that morning), some deli baked beans for Farmer H's grilling on Sunday, and SLAW. I also picked up a bottle of Wild Turkey for Farmer H. Like The Pony's wine, he has a bottle on the kitchen counter over half full. But I tend to grab awkward items while I'm in the store not getting much, to avoid a lot of heavy stuff to carry in on future trips.
When I got up front, two checkers were open. I got in line with the blond lady checker, who was taking payment from a man, with a man and woman having only one item being next. Something was taking a long time, so I went to the short checkout, where the young man who likes decorating for Christmas was working, finishing up a full-cart guy.
I set one of my two 12-packs of Coke on the conveyor.
"I can ring up everything but the alcohol."
"WHAT? I say it's time to start aging a little faster!"
"It's not the age. The register shuts down when it rings alcohol purchases. Shuts down our whole system."
"Oh. That lady DID have a problem ringing up alcohol last time I bought it. Okay."
I put my Coke back in the cart, and went back to the Blond Checker. Nobody had gotten in line yet. I set out my Coke, and the cold items, then the Wild Turkey.
"I can't ring up the alcohol. Our system goes down."
"OH! I thought it was just that one register! I get it now. Well, I guess somebody is going to have to take this back to put on the shelf, because I don't feel like walking back across the store."
Blond Checker set the Wild Turkey aside, by her bag-holding contraption. She finished my order, and I went to the lottery machine. Behind me, I heard the young man checker telling a guy he couldn't ring up the alcohol.
"You're kidding! That's crazy. I'll just get it somewhere else."
You'd think somebody would have gotten the bright idea to hang a sign on the alcohol shelf, saying that they couldn't ring up alcohol at this time. Surely they were getting tired of telling people, and walking alcohol to the back corner of the store for re-shelving. And on a FRIDAY AFTERNOON, too!
Oh, well. Farmer H wasn't OUT of Wild Turkey. So not a big deal for me. The Liquor Store is virtually across the street, about a block down. People could easily go there to pick up what they needed. Since I didn't NEED it, I just went home. I already had my scratchers, and was not interested in going in another store.
At least nobody got a chance to type me in as 65 YEARS OLD!
6 comments:
That's weird about the registers shutting down, you'd think they'd get that fixed since they're losing money with no booze sales.
Lately I walk to the shop, pay for a newspaper then walk out again with out buying a single other thing. Which means today, when the shop finally opens at 11am (Sunday in South Australia, so old fashioned), I have to buy EVERYTHING.
River,
Yeah, why don't they fix it? I doubt it's getting fixed over a WEEKEND.
At least you'll get it all over with at once, like ripping off a bandaid! I prefer to do it a little at a time these days, for less carrying, with no help waiting to assist me at home. You're probably feeling stronger than me, what with your regular walking.
They're losing lots of money by losing out on liquor sales.
Sioux,
Especially on Friday and Saturday! It's easy to get at the same time you buy your meat for grilling. Today I was in the Liquor Store for scratchers, 2nd in a line of 5 people, and only ONE was buying liquor. It wasn't me! Some young girl who said she was picking up a case of beer for her dad.
A sign would avoid a lot. If the customer can read AND pays attention to signage. Grocery stores here do not sell the hard stuff, just wine and beer. One must go to a package store. That is what the locals call the liquor store. I am trying to redevelop my southern roots.
Kathy,
They were selling it again yesterday! Oops! I forgot to look and see how old the guy checker thought I was!
It's actually not Country Mart any more. They never had any alcohol. But when bought out by Harps, the alcohol department appeared. We also call them package stores around here. At least the old people do.
Genius says that all liquor stores in Pennsylvania are state-run. So I guess grocery stores don't sell liquor there. Unless maybe they have a state license to do so.
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