This morning I stopped by Orb K to cash in $50 worth of scratch-off winners. I like to vary my ticket purchase venues, and I have pretty good luck at this store.
There was one clerk working. I stopped on the way to Walmart, because the parking lot wasn't very full. I don't like to make people wait while I do my gambling. Some of us addicts are like that.
I was the only one in line at that two-register counter. The clerk moved to the middle, behind the mini liquor bottle display case, to scan my winners. I stepped over by the other register to look at the scratch-off ticket display, which is like a poster board with a plastic front, leaning up against the counter from the floor. While I was standing there, right in front of the doing-business portion of that register, a man came in from outside. He boldly squeezed by my left shoulder, and
STEPPED UP TO THE COUNTER!
The clerk moved from behind the mini liquors to right in front of us, and said, "Oh, Henry, do you need another one?"
Henry (may or may not have been what she called him...Val is not good with names) shoved a bright green $20 ticket across the counter to her, and said, "Yeah."
W. T. F. ?
Since when did this become proper convenience store etiquette? I was clearly there before Henry. I was being waited on at the time. Yet he flagrantly jumped line, and the clerk served HIM ahead of me! What if that was a ticket I was going to buy? What if it was a grand prize winner? How fair is that? Would I have the right to sue for my rightful ticket? I'm sure they have surveillance video. Should I have raised a ruckus, in order to document the interaction?
Now don't you worry about Val. That is NOT the game she was planning to play. Still. How fair was that?
I won $60 off my cashed-in $50, and am not losing any sleep over the line-jumper. It's not all THAT hard out here.
I probably would have said something...nothing to start afight or anything (unless he was a runt, then I puff up and get all bad and stuff) Maybe just "Testing, one, two, three, testing for viability, one, two, three...maybe...maybe not...probably not.
ReplyDeleteYour title made my thirteen year old self giggle.
I always try to write to the lowest common denominator, which IS our 13-year-old selves.
DeleteHe wasn't a big guy. Even a 13-year-old could have taken him.
That is supposed to be visibility, but viability works.
DeleteIt's a good thing you weren't compromised by this guy getting a winning ticket instead of you.
ReplyDeleteYeah! If I had pulled up molotterydotcom and seen him holding up that ticket, I would have been beside myself. Just like he was beside ME, taking MY turn!
DeleteVa--Your title reminds me. I once (not too long ago) had a principal, and I would tell people, "He's a dictator. And there are a couple of unneeded syllables."
ReplyDeleteYou need to sharpen up your elbows. A few pointed jabs, and those line-jumpers will get the picture.
At one of my old districts, the new hires made the middle school teaching staff all women and one man. The principal told him in a faculty meeting, "Well, Mike, it looks like you'll be in hog heaven this year."
DeleteMike took a long look around the room, and said, "You got THAT right."
I wish I'd had pointy elbows THEN. The fact that I didn't might lend some credence to his reply...
First, how are you so lucky with scratcher tickets? I only win a few bucks, when I win. Second, line jumpers should be put in their place. When something like that happens to me my first inclination is to speak up, but then I'll ponder that maybe Henry has a sick wife and can only get out for a few minutes a day or he's on dialasis (sp?) and doesn't get much free time. That's my rationale for not spouting off to rude people.
ReplyDeleteI buy the $5 tickets. They have the best odds, with the payoff and the money you put in. I hardly ever win on the lower ones. The upper ones take up too much of my lottery fund, and usually just give me my money back that I paid for the ticket. You probably don't want to hear that today I had a $50 winner and a $40 winner. Both on $5 tickets.
DeleteI don't spout off because I'm a big ol' chicken! You are a better gal than I, because I hardly ever think there's a good reason for people to behave that way.
You inveterate gamblers seem to have short tempers. As well as short lines.
ReplyDeleteMy short temper has nothing to do with gambling, and everything to do with him ACTING LIKE THERE WAS NO LINE!
DeleteWhat if he had pulled that stunt at the soda fountain, and taken the last 43 oz of Diet Coke?