While I was in 10Box for bananas on Thursday, I also picked up two limes and a lemon. You never know when Hick or The Pony or Genius might want a twist in their cocktail with Christmas Dinner.
My checker was a young guy. Maybe not even 21. I haven't tried to buy alcohol from him, so I'm not sure. He picked up my limes, and said
"What are THESE?"
Then he picked up a laminated sheet showing pictures of produce, and their names! Funny how I don't remember anything like this back in the day, when I was going to the grocery store with my mom. Or even five years ago, when I was going to buy my own groceries!
"That's a lime."
"Okay. Now what's THIS?" He said, holding up the lemon. Not finding it on his picture sheet.
"That's a lemon. The label on the shelf said 38 cents, just like the limes."
"I'll see if you're a liar or not!" He said saucily, as he laid it on a clear window by the conveyor. "Well. It's not telling me. I guess I'll have to take your word for it."
This guy would have been great at the restaurant where the waitresses insult the customers. He was actually quite funny.
Meanwhile, a my-age lady behind me put all her stuff on the conveyor without putting in a divider. There were three available. Not my problem. I was way back when I put my stuff on, because the guy ahead of me had his cart behind him while trying to bag, blocking my way forward.
"Wait! That's not mine!" It was a loin, I think, or maybe a brisket. A long slab of meat in a cylinder shape.
"YOU!" said the checker to the Loin Lady! He called a supervisor to clear his error.
"Pardon him, I've been teaching him what a lime is, and also a lemon.." [You can take the teacher out of the classroom, but you can't take teaching out of the teacher.]
"You should see them go crazy when you bring up a turnip!" said Loin Lady.
Then I had the audacity to pay my $5.47 total with SIX ONE-DOLLAR BILLS!
"Don't you just hate it when people use actual money?"
CheckerBoy nodded as he counted out my change. I'm not sure if he had a chart showing him what coins to give back.
Oh my gosh. Can't tell what a lemon or lime is? I used to have to tell the cashier what a kohlrabi was, but I don't expect most people to know what they are, so never minded helping them out. I also had to tell them the spelling starts with a k, not a c. It's no wonder they can't read cursive or know how a rotary phone would work, or that it's even a phone. I know about a lot of things that I never used personally, that maybe my grandparents or great grandparents may have used. If it's not on their cellphone though, they won't be in the know, I guess. Sad where this seems to be heading. Scary too. Hope you are having a good day. Ranee (MN)
ReplyDeleteThe lost of cursive is a travesty! The Pony was in the last class that was taught cursive. I know that we elderlies have trouble with electronical doodads, including cell phones. But that's something ADVANCED, not something retro like being able to tell time on a non-digital clock! Some young whippersnappers probably can't tie their shoes! They have Velcro to thank for that. It's not like a lemon or a lime is some new hybrid of fruit!
DeleteWe called it script, or longhand. If we called it cursive I would have had to eat soap!
DeleteI have a feeling the soap companies did fairly well back in the day...
DeleteUnbelievable! One time I bought cherries for the price of red grapes. Hopefully, the woman just did not look carefully. That checker is a little too sassy to be dealing with people.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated that checker's sarcastic take on life, but I can understand how some people would be put-off by his repartee.
DeleteYou didn't put a divider yourself at the end of your goods? I always do unless I'm using the self serve where you don't need one. I find it funny that so many young people don't know their fruits and vegetables.
ReplyDeleteNo. As Captain of the Divider Police, you should have notified somebody to cart me away, lock me up, and throw away the key.
DeleteI still maintain my innocence. As I said, that guy in front of me had his cart behind him. I was at the very end of the conveyor when I put my stuff on. Couldn't reach the dividers. As soon as that guy moved his cart, I moved forward so I could pay. Checker was already trying to ring up my limes. There was a wide space between my few items and that lady's, but Checker kept conveyoring hers forward.
It's not like I had something exotic, such as a durian. Checker probably thinks limes turn into lemons when they ripen, since they were the same price.