A question for Cashiers

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

I was doing some people watching this past weekend and I saw something that I've heard mentioned in comedy routines and on sitcoms...you name it. Never really paid attention to it until I saw it happen with my own eyes.

There was a guy who was in the check-out line looking very nervous as he was purchasing feminine hygiene products. Yes, he was beet red in the face and was doing his level best to hide the fact that he had a bottle of midol and a box of tampons.

Another guy was embarrassed as all hell for buying some Pantine shampoo and conditioner (which I couldn't figure out what was so wrong about that...I'm a guy and I use the stuff since it works).

A third man was looking like he was wishing for a way to fall off the face of the planet because he was buying some little girl panties (and I doubt he was doing it because he was a perv as he did have in tow a pair of twin girls about the age to be interested in wearing PowerPuff Girl knickers.

Teh question before all you retail clerks out there is this "Do you guys and gals out there even pay attention to or judge a guy for what he brings up to the counter?"

I mean I can understand that a guy buying a bulk-pack of condoms and a gallon of Astroglide would attract comment after he left the store, but does anyone out there even raise an eyebrow to a guy who is buying normal quantities of stuff that a woman would normally buy or do you just chalk it up to a guy with a shopping list prepared by his wife?

Moderators may move it to a better place if needed, this was the closest place I could think of.

Mongo

[iradney]

I honestly wouldn't care less what they were buying. of course, if a guy was buy cotton wool and string, and then confess that his wife "rolls her own" so to speak, then I would have a bit of a giggle.
But honestly, the poor guy feels bad enough as it is, so I would really not try and exacerbate the situation

[Becks]

I never really paid attention to what people buy.

As long as they pay, who cares?

[Miss Maple Leaf]

I usually just think that it's nice the guy is willing to pick such items up for his girlfriend/wife (since a lot of guys would be too embarrassed) but I never say anything about it.
It's his purchase, not mine, so even though I'm ringing it up it's really none of my business.

[B&NGoddess]

of course, if a guy was buy cotton wool and string, and then confess that his wife "rolls her own" so to speak, then I would have a bit of a giggle.

thats fuckin' nasty. but hilarious. i dont really pay attention to what people buy either. i mean, i might lay into them with a coworker later, but im all professionalism at the time.

[XCashier]

I never paid attention. I was more concerned with getting the order rung up properly, bagged and the correct change given. The only time I paid attention to what the customer was buying was when he'd ask for camera film, cigarettes, or whatever I had behind my counter that I was in charge of dispensing. Not exactly embarrassing stuff. ("Um...excuse me...I need some...[whispering]800 speed 35mm film." )

[Rapscallion]

Moderators may move it to a better place if needed, this was the closest place I could think of.

Would probably go better in sightings, but I'm not going to sweat it.

This reminds me of a Fry and Laurie sketch where there was a scene in a shop where one of them was loudly shouting about how he was buying a mega-sized pack of condoms, a big box of super sanitary towels, and then suddenly went down to a whisper to ask for a Jason Donovan album...

Rapscallion

[rerant]

I work at a furniture store so people don't really have an opportunity to buy anything embarrassing.
Though when I worked at Wal Mart I would never really notice, unless the customer was acting a certain way that would grab my attention.
Like the 18 year-old kid who came running through my lane with a box of condoms, waited for me to ring it up, tossed me the cash and bolted out of the store without even waiting for his change (which was only a few cents anyway).

[Emrld]

I think it would be the one with the astroglide and the little girl panties that would have you calling security . . . . . .

When I was in collage my roomie and I liked to torture the youngest male clerk working check out . . . .we would buy ultra super absorb tampoons, mega box of condoms, can of whip cream, chocolate sauce, midol, KY . . . .any combination we could think of that would imply adult playtime and female menstration . . .
It was funny to watch them because it was like the oven burner warming up . . . the would be normal and start to blush and by the end be beat red . . .

I now know it wasn't the nicest of things to do . . .but hey they put the thoughts into their own heads . . . .not us.

[Jack7957]

I've bought tampons for a girl I was dating once, I wasn't worried what the clerk thought at all.

The one time I was embarrassed was when a buddy and I were picking up a 12-pack after work, and he remembered he needed some KY for his wife. So there we are, two heteros checking out with beer and KY. I was wondering what was going through the cashiers head at that moment.

[ladyklack]

At some point I'm sure I used to care what people bought. After 5 years working in a photo lab tho you get over it. After enough time seeing a number of your customers naked on film and then having to look them in the eye when you ring them up just doesn't phase you anymore.

[wagegoth]

After 5 years working in a photo lab . . . seeing a number of your customers naked on film and then having to look them in the eye when you ring them up just doesn't phase you anymore.

That would probably be the hardest for me. I start laughing over stuff like that. Defense mechanism. I laugh when I get obscene phone calls; I don't think I've ever had a repeat caller.

[BlaqueKatt]

heck my husband has no issue buying feminine hygiene products*-he grew up in a house with 5 women(3 sisters, mom and grandmother)-and his theory is "why should I be embarrassed about having and buying stuff for a woman I love dearly?"

BlaqueKatt-luckie kittie

*he usually adds my favorite Ice cream or some chocolate to the list on his own, yay!

[HALFHUMANHALFZOMBIE]

It doesn't matter to me what they buy. Some customers joke about buying bras.

[JustADude]

I think it would be the one with the astroglide and the little girl panties that would have you calling security . . . . . .

The Astroglide/Bulk-Condoms was a hypothetical thing meant to show a situation where notice and speculation might be taken. The guy with the Powerpuff knickers was just there buying new undergarments for his kids.