I got a really late start to town on Friday. It became my errand day, since we didn't get back from our MiniPalooza casino trip until after 4:00 on Thursday. Of course I slept in for an extra hour. Then I had unpacking and some laundry. Of course my Candy Crush playing could not be denied. So it was 4:00 when I left the Mansion. I told Farmer H that I'd pick up something at the Country Mart deli for supper.
Of course I found the monthly bill for SilverRedO in EmBee. Since I was already on the way to mail Genius's letter, and HAD A STAMP WITH ME, I decided to go ahead and write out the check. Not right there blocking part of our gravel road exit, but on the municipal parking lot over by the main post office. It took me about 10 minutes to get that bill ready to mail. When I backed up to pull out of the lot, I saw that THE DRIVE-THRU MAILBOX WAS BLOCKED! Blocked by a long semi truck that brings and picks up the mail! So I had to drive around to the entrance, and take my bill and letter inside to mail it in the wall slot.
Back over at Country Mart, I waited behind an old man buying a deli meal. When I got up to the counter, I saw that the only food available were sides of mashed potatoes & gravy, macaroni & cheese, and green beans. The only meat was fried chicken. What in the Not-Heaven? What kind of grocery store deli only has fried chicken at supper time on a Friday night! I told the little guy who's so nice to me that I didn't want anything.
"I was hoping you'd have something besides chicken!"
"I just sold the last piece of fish. We have BBQ ribs." [Three packs in the warmer]
"I see that. But my husband doesn't like ribs. He says they're too much work to eat."
"I feel the same way."
"All right. Now I have to find something else for supper."
"The ribs are $13, but I can give them to you for $8.95."
"No thanks. He won't like them any better for that price."
I went to the cold deli section, and got Farmer H some "street tacos" in a kit with tortillas, crumbled steak, cheese, sauces, and shredded cabbage. When I got them home, The Pony was disappointed, because even though he'd said he was making something for himself, he saw them in the bag, and thought I'd gotten him his preferred chicken version.
Anyhoo... I did my shopping, which included 4 (for $10) six-packs of Diet Mountain Dew for Farmer H, and his bananas, and his special individual vanilla ice cream cups with chocolate and strawberry swirl. Also some chicken strips for me (from the cold case, so at least from yesterday), and croissants from the bakery.
I rolled my cart up to the checkout area at the same time as a man, woman, and little girl in the red plastic car built onto the front of the cart. It was a toss-up as to who got there first. They didn't hesitate, and had younger knees than mine, so they got to the register first. Not a big deal. At first...
The lady was putting items on the conveyor while the man walked over to the other register and was reading the headlines of the tabloids.
"Oh. We forgot the cheesecake crust. You should go get it."
"Where is it?"
"That way."
She waved her hand towards a general area at the back of the store. Off he went. She was still putting on items as he returned. Then she said,
"We need a gallon of milk."
That's in the opposite corner of the store. Off he went. While waiting on him, the woman had a discussion of something about her order with the cashier, a young boy. The man returned with the milk. The cashier named off five items and asked if that was okay. The woman said it was. Cashier then rang up and printed out five receipts. Maybe they were store coupons or specials.
In the meantime, four people had come up behind me. A worker came out of the service desk and said she'd help somebody over at the next register. Of course the people behind me beat feet over there. They were all done before I got my turn.
By the time I got home, it was The Pony's bathing hour(s). He barely had time to come out and help carry groceries. Even Farmer lent a Pop-Arm. He must have really been hungry.
6 comments:
When the cashier looks at the next person in line and asks them to move to a new line--since they were in line before all the people behind them--I appreciate it.
However, most of the time, the young and the rude get the worm first...
Sioux,
What kind of Utopia do you live in? I've NEVER seen a cashier look at the next person in line when opening up a new register! I guess the shelves there are overflowing with buy one/get one sales on candied unicorn eyelashes, sheets of buttercream icing topped with cake crumbles, and imitation Wagyu beef steak made from tofu that is massaged and fed beer.
The young and the rude will steal the earth that the meek inherit. But at least the young and the rude sometimes get their comeuppance, because WE are older, and have more insurance.
Of course everything was sold out late on a Friday! Most people see it as their no-cook night before a busy weekend. Your mistake was sleeping in the extra hour. As for that couple who forgot things, haven't they heard of a list with items being crossed off as they load them in the cart?
Over here when an extra checkout is opened the tail end of the line moves over first, same as what happened to you.
River,
It actually wasn't too late for supper. I was at the counter by 5:30, and most people don't even get off work until 5:00. So that deli should have had plenty of food ready to go until at least 6:00.
I've gone to the deli at 4:30, thinking they would have their fresh supper food ready, only to find over-warmed, dried-out leftovers from lunch. So I guess there must be a tiny window of about 10 minutes when they bring out fresh food and sell out!
The deli was much better before the store changed ownership. Now they barely have anything besides fried chicken and fish.
I would have pushed the others out of the way and reminded them that I was there first and sure they wouldn't mind letting me go first. All said in my sweet nice bitch voice.
Kathy,
Pushed them out of the way, like George Costanza smelling smoke at a kid's birthday party, making a mad dash for the door!
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