Sweet Gummi Mary! I hope I survive long enough to see the re-opening of the Hillmomba Country Mart! I saw a man on a ladder painting a wide stripe on the outside of the building Wednesday. There were several Port-A-Potties out front, so I guess they are updating the bathrooms. No date on their big sign by the road. It just says CLOSED FOR REMODELING.
The Sis-Town Country Mart is trying to kill me! I'm pretty sure. Though perhaps not outright with a light fixture rigged to decapitate me like a guillotine. They're more subtle. It could be the sloped parking lot, where Thursday I almost did a face-plant when my cart/walker filled with 3 six-packs of Diet Mountain Dew, and 3 six-packs of Sprite, Coke, and Diet Coke, along with a robust bunch of bananas, red onions, a 5-lb bag of potatoes, salad dressings, mustards, sour cream, pulled pork, romaine lettuce, a triple-chocolate cake, 18 eggs, Kerrygold butter, hot dog buns, and yo ho ho a bottle of rum... tried to run away from me, nearly pulling my arms out of their sockets.
But the likely trigger of my demise will be a rapid rise in blood pressure due to the young checker's bagging techniques!
I swear, that young 'un has never in her life ever carried in a bag of groceries. I bet her mother does it. And puts away the food, and cooks it for her, and possible baby-birds it into her mouth so she doesn't starve to death. That little gal is pleasant enough, but not very worldly in the ways of grocery bagging.
I swear, it's like the money for each bag is coming out of her pocket. She uses the bigger of the two bag sizes, and packs them randomly until full. Forget about putting the cold objects in together as I have laid them on the conveyor. Or the same shapes. Or with a balance of light and heavy. Nope. Not in her wheelhouse.
When I tried to lift the bags up over the little shelf where old ladies write out their checks, the first one's handles stretched so much that I thought they might break. The next one was so heavy and awkwardly balanced that it got caught on the edge of that shelf, and a tear resulted in its side. So I had to baby that one lest all the contents spill out.
At home, Farmer H was there to help. I told him to get my Save A Lot boxes that he was going to burn. So at least we got those groceries inside without losing them.
I really wish they would have more than one checker in that store. Or maybe an older one. There seem to be a lot of those old biddies running around doing nothing but talking in the "office" between their lottery machines. Their talents could be better used by having them TEACH THAT LITTLE GAL how old people need lighter bags. And how fragile those plastic bags really are.
5 comments:
Being a previous checker and bagger myself, I have NO hesitation telling any newbie, or even an older checker, how to pack a bag. I even tell them how to give change, drop the coins into the palm forst, then place the notes and receipt on top, that way the coins don't slide and maybe roll all over the floor.
River
Thank the Gummi Mary, I have been paying for groceries with my debit card for quite a while. Otherwise, I'm sure I'd be going ballistic from getting my bills across my palm with coins on top! Receipt? You pretty much have to ask for that here, or wait for the cashier to ask if you want it. Somebody must be taking all those receipts and making a voodoo doll out of the paper! It's like they never just hand over the receipt.
They do ask now if we want a receipt before printing one and I only get one if I am shopping for a neighbour who might question the prices.
I nominate River to do a public service announcement and teach cashiering and bagging! My Dad instilled in me the desire to be the best at whatever I am doing. It takes less effort to do it the correct way!
River,
They still print them everywhere, and toss them in the wastebasket if you say you don't want it.
***
Kathy,
I second your nomination! Nobody wants to make an effort these days to do their best. Or even their "adequate!"
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