That ol' Even Steven! He's such a comedian. Only two days after two strangers were uncharacteristically kind, by taking my cart back into the store, and holding a door open for me...I was beset by two rude strangers with bad attitudes!
The Gas Station Chicken Store has narrow aisles, you know. Only three aisles total. Upon entering the door, I go straight down the middle aisle, turn right when I reach the beer coolers with a slanted mirror up top, and step up to the Coca Cola soda fountain that dispenses my magical elixir.
Next along the soda fountain aisle is the Pepsi soda fountain. And then the chicken counter. You stand there to order, wait for it to come out, and take your ticket with the price on it to the register.
Nobody hardly ever goes down the far left aisle as they enter the door. It has uncool beer cases stacked there, and a sliding-door cooler with individual bottles of juices. Gas Station Chicken Store customers are generally not juicers.
Anyhoo...I made it down the center aisle without incident. The Woman Owner was stocking chips across from the Coke fountain. She wasn't in my way. But an old lady was. She was waiting behind another old lady who was at the chicken counter. I wasn't in a hurry, so I stood back, making sure not to get in the way of the chipping, to wait until the Old Lady moved forward. She looked like her knees hurt. I could sympathize. She was leaning an elbow on the counter.
A man at the chicken counter moved forward, then the waiting lady, and the Old Lady crept up a few steps. That put her in front of the Pepsi fountain. Completely out of my way.
I laid my $15 scratcher winner on the counter ledge in front of the Coke fountain, and pulled out a 44 oz foam cup. I was at least a long-arm's-length away from Old Lady. Well! She turned and looked over her shoulder at me. Daggers! As if I was somehow harming her, or interfering with her waiting! She had that look on her face like the old lady in Girl, Interrupted, when Winona Rider blew cigarette smoke in her face in the day room of the loony bin, right before that old lady said, "Asshole."
Whew! Excuuuuse me! I poured my 44 oz Diet Coke, put a lid on it, and edged past Old Lady and Chicken Lady. Therein stood my next Rudie 'Tudie. The man who had ordered chicken stood at the register. Like he was next to pay. Which he couldn't do until he had his chicken and order ticket. He should have let me pass, but he wouldn't give up that position. The man at the register paid, and it should have been my turn. But I couldn't get there.
Customer Man was putting his change in his pocket, getting ready to pick up his two sodas and pack of cigarettes, when the chicken clerk called out the order and shoved the chicken box across the chicken counter. So Mr. Blockade turned and took two steps back to grab his order, then went right back to the register. When technically, he should have gotten behind the person who had come in behind ME.
He gave me a look, too! Sweet Gummi Mary! I guess we could have had ten or twelve people backed up waiting, while he held his ground at the counter, making sure he would be next as soon as he had that chicken ticket!
I know I should have said something like, "Excuse me, are you paying?" But I really don't like to ask anybody anything, ever since that CRAZY DONUT MAN flipped out at the Casey's when I was trying NOT to take his turn!
There's more than one kind of chicken in the Gas Station Chicken Store.
6 comments:
The GOOD thing is they had your magical elixir and you didn't lose that scratcher when you put it on the counter, where it could so easily fall to the floor from. Don't you have pockets to put it into temporarily?
River,
I have my shirt pocket, which I THINK is wide enough for a $5 ticket. But it will stick out the top and look awkward. I just carry it, lay it down and guard it, heh, heh, then carry it up front. I was extremely happy to NOT-see an OUT sign taped on the Diet Coke spigot!
Some old man stepped in front of me in the Panera line (I was the only one in line). I said to him, "I'm waiting in line to make my order."
He said, "Me, too," and when the cashier came to the register, he took a step forward and gave his order.
I refrained from going over to "Ed" (that was the name he gave for the order) and telling him off... but just barely.
Sioux,
That's almost post office level rudeness! I hope he had a hair in his food!
People are rude. It has become a way of life.
Kathy,
I KNOW! It's like "every man for himself." Not even a courtesy wave when I stop to let an approaching car cross the low water bridge first.
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