18 May 2007 8:47 pm
Kindness of Strangers?
Today, we made the mistake of going in the express grocery check-out with well more than the limit of 15 items. Unfortunately, our groceries were half on the conveyor before I realized our mistake. Also, unfortunately, the 'kind' 'gentle'man, from whom I learned I was in the incorrect check-out lane, decided to talk indirectly about my mistake rather than to have pointed it out when I could have selected a different lane.
What contributed to the mistake?
Well, for one, the grocery store has changed to lighted displays that do not indicate "EXPRESS" nearly as prominently before. The difference between a regular check-out and the express check-out is whether a small sign is back-lit. I looked to see whether the lane was express, and I did not notice the light. I was trying to make sure that a one-year old and three-year old did not melt-down as we were leaving the store, but that shouldn't be an excuse...
The aforementioned 'gentleman.' Please, please, please, if you are going to complain to a store employee about me being in an express lane, have the courtesy to mention it to me first, especially if you see me get in the line right in front of you. I would actually appreciate the help discerning which lane is appropriate for me. After my (too many) grocery items are on the conveyor, it is too late.
The store employee who ushered the person, who was in front of me in line, to the self-check out also could have noticed and mentioned that I had too many items. Perhaps she was just hoping that we'd leave the store before one of the kids got even more tired and hungry.
Perhaps there are people who blatantly ignore the rules, but I'm not one of them. I felt terrible for being in the express lane and slowing down those who ended up behind me. My apologies to them. It was an honest mistake, which could have been avoided if someone was willing to communicated directly to me instead of complaining about me.
10 May 2007 8:21 pm
Andrea's First IM
202222222222222
What was she trying to say? Is it a code? Is it in base 3? Is it the start to a numerical sequence?
