The Customer is Always Left Standing (and Given the Stinkeye)

[This is turning into a convenience-store-review blog! Here's a tale I had written up and thought I'd posted, but found lurking in the drafts.]

The Pony asked me to pick up a $20 scratcher for him a couple weeks ago. Also, a Powerball ticket, after I first learned how to pick the numbers he asked for. He's pretty asky lately. Now that he had a little win. Maybe a story on that another time, here or there.

Anyhoo... I went to the Backroads Casey's. There was a customer at each register. The lady at the left one finished. I stepped over, just as the Pony-age gal clerk tried to slither away behind the scratcher display. Believe me, I know the type well. I used to work with an older version at the unemployment office. You know, those people who want to be PAID for a job, but don't want to WORK for a job.

"Hi. I'm not sure if I did this right, but I'd like a Powerball ticket with these numbers."

I handed her the slip with the colored-in numbers on it, and she stuck it in the scanner and printed out the Powerball ticket. Then handed me back the slip.

"Do you want anything else?"

"Yes. A number 2 and a number 7 and a number 9."

"We're out of the number 9."

"Okay. Then just the 2 and 7."

The gal tore off the scratchers. She set them down on the counter in front of me, by the register, but not close enough for me to reach.Then muttered something to the boy clerk at the other register, who had a customer. Then she walked over to the back room, where the manager or assistant manager hangs out. (I used to work at a Casey's, you know).

Gal waved her arms and muttered to the doorway. I was swaying at the counter. It keeps my knees from locking up. Gal came back. Manager with her. Boy Clerk came over and stood on the other side. So Gal was flanked by a backup team.

"What's the problem?" Asked Manager, piercing me with the stinkeye.

WHAT IN THE NOT-HEAVEN?

"No problem. I'm just waiting to pay for my tickets."

Gal waved the Powerball ticket and muttered some more.

"Oh. You throw that one away."

"I JUST BOUGHT THAT TICKET!"

"Well, you just scan it. Like the others. Ring it up."

Off went Manager and Boy Clerk. What just happened? Did she really come out there and get sassy with me like I was causing trouble? I was the CUSTOMER, by cracky! I am always right!

Gal rang up my two scratchers and the Powerball ticket. It came to $27. I handed her two twenties and two ones. She looked at me like I was even dumber than she was! So stupid I didn't know how to count up money! Giving her too much on purpose!

"I don't want small bills back. I should get a ten and a five in change."

Gal seemed gobsmacked that my calculations were verified by her cash register. [Little did I know that I would be meeting her male counterpart (at least HE was polite) at the Sis-Town Casey's a couple weeks in the future.] She handed me a ten and a five. Kind of jabbed her hand out with them. No "Thank you," or "Here you go," or "Beat feet." Not sure why she had to be so petulant. I was the one who was accused of having (or causing) a PROBLEM.

My suggestion for that Manager would be: If your new employee is not fully trained, don't put her out front alone serving customers. Also, perhaps the place to start in the training would be CUSTOMER SERVICE.