I didn't mean to be rude but I don't know how else I could've handled this.

[Food Lady]

My coworker is a really nice guy, always friendly, likes to kind of tease people. But tonight I was racing for the bus and didn't have time to chat, and was fully prepared to let him know I was in a hurry so as not to hurt his feelings.
I never got the chance.

I was getting my stuff organized while he was ringing up the person in front of me. (Turned out to be the person in front of that person, actually). He said hi to me. OK, that's fine, but then he started asking me about the schedule and generally chatting. OK, I had people behind me, too, and he was ignoring the person he was currently helping, and then the next guy. I was answering in very short answers so as not to encourage this because it was rude to the other people.

So when I put my phone up for him to scan a barcode he jokingly asked if I was buying the phone. I got that he was joking, but with 3 minutes to spare I explained that there was a deal on the app. He stopped with the joking because I interrupted to let him know I didn't need a bag. I showed him my employee discount which is in the clear window of my wallet, and instead of using the hand scanner he picked up my whole wallet and used the in-bed. I....really don't like people touching my wallet. At that point he said something else (don't remember) and I said, "I'm sorry, I'm just in a hurry. I'm in a big hurry." Well, he shut up after that and I felt a little bad, but I did explain! My receipt printed and he stared off into space instead of handing it to me. Maybe he was offended.

But he never gave me the chance to tell him I was running late. If I had gone to Boss Lady she would've finished with her current customer, focusing on him as she should, and then asked how I was. I could then say "Good, but in a hurry. I'll try to be quick for you." She would've said, "Hurry, Food Lady!" in a teasing but smiley tone and done the best she could to help me get out.

But this other guy is new. I just feel I offended him and I really didn't mean to.

[notalwaysright]

If he was offended it's pretty much on him. You don't ignore the person you're helping and talk with someone else, with bonus annoyance points for making it clear you work together. The person he was ignoring was probably unhappy, and had reason to be.

I've had times at grocery stores when the cashier didn't really talk to me, and I was fine with that until they made it clear that they just didn't want to talk to me. A few times my receipt was still printing and the cashier starts very animatedly chatting with the person behind me in line, and when I glance over they are clearly a CW. Nice. Just wanted me out of the way so you can chat. I've had it happen (especially in my home town) where it's not a CW, it's some friend, and they want to talk to them. They just shove my receipt in the bag and turn away.

Anyway, I wouldn't feel too badly, if you wanted you could tell him that you ride the bus and that's why you said it that way. But honestly, he seems really chatty, somewhat like my reply.

[MoonCat]

This kind of thing makes me twitch. It's fine to say hi to a CW who comes through your checkout line, but with other customers waiting, it's not a good time for him to get chatty, and he should know that. If you want you could always take him aside next time you get a chance and say you're sorry you were abrupt the other day, but as he was busy and you had a bus to catch, it wasn't a good time to talk.

But hey, either way, he needs to get over it.