An Advantage-Taker Lights Mrs. HM's Fuse

Tuesday, I stepped into the Gas Station Chicken Store to see three people in line ahead of me. They were kind of spread out, so I had to stand at the wall between the two bathrooms. 

There was a guy paying at the counter. A woman who was done, but standing behind him stuffing her red tickets for the gas drawing into the box sitting on top of a tower of beer cases. Then a holy-roller-looking lady in a long skirt, rainbow-striped knee socks, and sandals, waiting on the other side of the entrance to the middle aisle. With a working man standing in that aisle leaving a space between them indicating that Holy Roller was ahead of him. He caught my eye as I walked in, and I nodded. Just meaning that I saw him, and knew he was there first.

The ticket-stuffer completed her mission and left, so Holy Roller moved over a bit towards the counter. I stepped over by her previous place next to a snack cake display. Working Man took a step forward. While all this shuffling was going on, there was an Orange Shirt Man roaming along the beverage coolers on the back aisle. While Holy Roller was paying for gas, Orange Shirt Man got in line behind Working Man.

Holy Roller left. I nodded to Working Man. "You were here before me." He stepped up to the counter.

SWEET GUMMI MARY!

Orange Shirt Man, holding a tall canned beverage which looked more like an energy drink that a tallboy beer, followed Working Man like they were new Army recruits instructed to stand nuts-to-butts in line for vaccinations! 

IT WAS NOT HIS TURN! I had been in the store way before he left the coolers and got in line.

I figure maybe he saw me holding two scratchers to cash in, and felt entitled to forge ahead of me. No way could he have thought I was talking to HIM about being there first. I didn't make eye contact with him, and he knew I was there when he got in line. I didn't appear out of thin air.

When Orange Shirt Man set his beverage on the counter, he told the cashier: "And give me four number 10s, and four number 6s." So not just simply paying for a drink, but also buying scratchers! Then he had the nerve to turn and look at me over his shoulder. Perhaps to gloat, I presume. I was staring out the door, careful not to lock eyes with him. But I'm sure he could tell by my expression that I wasn't having it. I knew exactly what he did!

Once he was out the door, I was the lone customer. I whined to Cashier about him taking my turn. I did not blame her at all. She was busy, and couldn't see down that aisle for when Orange Shirt Man got in line.

"Some people just can't wait their turn! He's probably going to be in the next place I go, too! Sorry. I'm just complaining. People like that drive me crazy."

Too bad it wasn't Fave's day to work. We could have had a good gripe session.