The Fault-Finder Stops At The End Of Her Nose

A couple times a week, I run to the store for odds and ends that don't require a full expedition to The Devil's Playground. Some items are better at Save A Lot, like salsa, pickles, hot dogs, buns, onions, and sour cream. Some things are better at Country Mart. Like Bugles for Chex Mix, Farmer H's ice cream cups with the chocolate and strawberry swirl, and Hoisen Sauce.

Of course the checkers simply cannot do anything to my satisfaction! They are better at Save A Lot, where I know one of them as a mom from one of Genius's classmates. On my various trips, I sometimes get cash back from the debit card. Depends on what we have going on that might better be purchased with cash (like the remainder of the bill for our Burger Brothers lunch when my food credit comp runs out), and how far we are into the week on the household cash allowance.

Save A Lot has a $20 cash back policy, and Country Mart allows $25. Save A Lot has a chip reader, and Country Mart does not. So Mrs. Hillbilly Mom must mind her Ps and Qs when she checks out. Glasses are pretty much a must.

As you might ascertain from this lengthy set-up...I ran in Country Mart without my glasses the other day. I only had a few items. Milk, ice cream, and romaine lettuce, I think. The bill was around $10, but I don't normally pay attention to that, what with being independently wealthy now that I'm retired, and having a considerable cushion of finances in checking for when monthly checks to the school for our health insurance policy are cashed. I write down the amount of grocery purchases in the checkbook when I get back to T-Hoe, but I don't worry about it in line.

On this particular day, I had to scan my debit card a second time.

"Ma'am? You'll need to scan your card again."

"Oh. Did it not read my card? Maybe I had it the wrong way. I'm used to the chip reader."

"No, when the screen came up asking if the amount was okay, you hit NO."

"Oh. I thought it was asking if I wanted cash back."

"Ours does it in a different order than most of them. I don't know why."

"Okay. I'll do it again."

I was putting my bag of groceries in the cart, and my debit card back in my pocket, when I was jolted out of my scratcher-purchase selections that were dancing in my head.

"What's that? I'm sorry, I wasn't listening."

"You'll have to slide your card again."

"Oh. Why?"

"Did you want $250 back?"

"NOOO! I didn't want ANY cash back!"

"Well, I guess you somehow hit 'yes' to cash back, and then a zero instead of 'enter.' I had to clear it out because we can only give $25 back."

"Sorry. I really should have worn my glasses in today!"

Yes. Mrs. HM was THAT PERSON who holds up the line, because she's too feeble to understand the technology.

My apologies to all involved.