The only interactions I have in my everyday life are during excursions to town to buy scratchers. Most days, nothing memorable happens. But then there are the days when everybody wants to drive in my lane, drive faster than me, park in my rightful handicap space, break their neck getting in or out the door ahead of me, and MAKE ME WAIT IN LINE!
Card-scanners are the bane of my existence in convenience stores! Just pay cash! It's so much quicker! Using a card takes at least three times as long. For the codes to be punched in. And/or a rewards code, depending on the store.
I know people don't like to wait behind ME, but I make it as quick as possible. I know exactly which scratchers I want. I hand over my winners with the bar codes already scratched off. The cashier just has to scan, print the receipt, and tear off my new purchases and scan them. I pay in cash. Correct cash. Usually no change necessary, unless it's a big winner worth more than what I'm buying.
Tuesday, I was happy to walk into the Gas Station Chicken Store and see only a woman finishing her transaction, and one man behind her. Only she wasn't FINISHING her transaction. She had given the cashier some draw ticket slips. The ones you fill in the numbers you want, and have to scan to get a ticket printed with your numbers. I never play this kind. For The Pony's daily Cash4Life ticket, I just get the machine-generated random numbers.
Slow Gal could get those kind of tickets for herself over at 10Box, from the machines, without inconveniencing ME in a convenience store. Except she didn't have the cash to pay for them.
Yes, Slow Gal waited until Cashier was done printing her tickets, then said, "How much is that?" And at that time opened up her purse, took out her wallet, and started digging for $9. She didn't have it. "Oh. I'll just put it on my card." Thus began the torture of waiting for her to scan. They gave the first card (!) three tries, but it wouldn't work. So Slow Gal meticulously slid it back into the clear plastic sleeve in her wallet, and selected another one. Three tries. Nope. "Oh, I always carry several cards. Let's try this one." She said, selecting yet another. IT WORKED!
The guy behind her stepped up and paid CASH for his gas, and was out the door. I stepped up with my winners, got my new scratchers, paid CASH, and was out the door. Slow Gal was still juggling her wallet, purse, and draw tickets.
Meanwhile, five new customers had come in while the other guy and I had been in line.
I feel your impatience! Slow Gal should have known the cost of her draw tickets and made sure the cash was in her purse/wallet before leaving home. And/or she needs to keep track of which of her cards currently doesn't work because there isn't enough cash on it or something. I only have one card and I always know exactly how much I have available, but I usually pay cash for my tickets.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
DeleteYes! I always pay cash, and I know how much my tickets are going to cost. What's the good of hauling around debit cards if they don't even have $9 on them? You can't use a credit card to buy lottery tickets in Missouri, and the debit card option has only been around for about 10 years, I think. Used to be cash only.
We can't use credit cards either, only debit cards or cash.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
DeleteThat's good, because some people could really get into debt by using credit cards!