So why did you ask anyway, and other grocery store fun

[fma_fanatic]

Last night I stopped by the store near our house - you know the one where I have sooooo much fun with idiotic SCs and managers who feel that buying ramen makes you poor? Yeah, that one.

However, I wasn't grocery shopping. I just stopped by to pay a utility bill. However, it seems that even doing that doesn't make me invincible.

Sighting the first

As I'm coming in, I encounter an older lady who is complaining about not wanting to go out into the cold. I don't blame her. Winter is here, despite the fact that the calendar says winter doesn't officially start until the 21st.

OL: Is it still cold out? I hate the cold!
Me: It's not as bad as it has been. It's not windy.
OL: Well I hope we don't get no more snow
Me: I heard that we might get another small storm maybe Monday...
OL: Why did you tell me that! *glares at me and stomps off*

Ooookay...

I head on in and stop at the cooking items display to note the price of turkey basters. We're getting a ham again this year at work and I decided that I really do need one so I can baste it while it's cooking, and not nearly burn my hand like I did last year using a spoon. I glance at some of the other items, making a mental note of other things I might like in my kitchen and head onto the Customer Service desk.

Sighting the second

I'm at the customer service desk and tell one of the workers that I need to pay a utility bill. She says she's working on something (I think it was the Powerball) and says that her coworker will help me. I groan inwardly as I've dealt with him. He's spacey, as in he spaces out - a lot. I also don't think he's really all that there. I'm pretty sure he might actually be a stoner, but I can't say for sure.

Me: Hi, I'd like to pay a utility bill.
SC (stoned clerk): A what?
Me: A utility bill
SC: *pauses for a moment*uh..okay.. *then stares at me*
Me: I need a slip

To explain, you need a slip to fill out the important info - the company you want to pay, how much, etc. You can also present the bill itself, but since I'm only paying half now, with the rest due at the end of the month, I'm opting for the slip. The other thing is that at this particular store, they seem to like to hide the slips. It's not like they're worth anything since they're only usable at this particular grocery store chain. As far as I know, the husband's store doesn't do utility payments and neither does the foo-foo rich peoples grocery store.

SC: Uh..okay..*hands me a slip*

I step aside, fill out the info, get my check ready and then step back when I've got everything. I hand over the items to the clerk and get my processing fee out for him (you have to pay a small fee in order to do this. Currently it's 85 cents). I lay a $10 bill on the counter as that's all I have on me at the moment and wait.

He comes back with the slip to sign since they do electronic checks there.

SC: It's 85 cents.
Me: Here you go *motioning to the $10*
SC: It's 85 cents.
Me: Right there *again motioning to the $10*
SC: The fee is 85 cents.
Me: This is all I have *picks up the $10 and hands it to the clerk*

It's about that time that one of the other Customer Service clerks returns from her break and sees what's going on. She shoos the guy away and takes over, getting me my change and apologizes up and down for the trouble. It's not her fault, but I did mention that the guy didn't seem all there. She nodded and I think she knew what I meant.

[lupo pazzesco]

Oh, hey, THAT'S why my trip to target was (relatively) uneventful today! you took the bullet!

thank you!!!!


Old woman sounds like nothing you say would make her happy, if you'd told her you were expecting a warm front, she'd complain about that, too.

As for stoner clerk...yeah, he's a special snowflake...I think I've worked with ones just like him. >.<

[PepperElf]

yep cos telling her about it means you're forcing it to happen

[fma_fanatic]

Oh, hey, THAT'S why my trip to target was (relatively) uneventful today! you took the bullet!

thank you!!!!


Old woman sounds like nothing you say would make her happy, if you'd told her you were expecting a warm front, she'd complain about that, too.

As for stoner clerk...yeah, he's a special snowflake...I think I've worked with ones just like him. >.<

Yes ma'am glad to take one for the team.

[ShinyGreenApple]

I'm surprised they let someone that spacey handle money transactions, of all things. Utility payments, lotto, and stuff like Western Union can cause epic disasters if not handled correctly.

[RootedPhoenix]

*steals that lady's winter* She obviously doesn't appreciate it fully. Poor unloved winter. *dances about in the cold*

...it helps that I'm a polar bear. I LOVE cold weather. Snow does get in the way of getting anywhere though, bleh.

[Aethian]

Women sounded...weird. Guy sounds more then a bit spacy but to be a little evil...

Not handing money to a cashier can be taken as rude. I don't remember where I learned this but I remember it was in a frufru type store.

[Mystic]

I think I'm the only person in my area that absolutely loves snow and winter. Makes me wonder why people live here if they don't like it so much. It comes every single year at around the same time and isn't going to stop coming any time soon. :P

[Fire_on_High]

Not handing money to a cashier can be taken as rude. I don't remember where I learned this but I remember it was in a frufru type store.

I figure it really depends on the situation. Seems like if you're having to do something like pay with coins it'd be more polite to group them by the dollar on the counter than dump a handful of change directly to the cashier. I know when I was at Walmart, I didn't care much overall as long as folks were polite, but very definitely preferred things like stacks of four quarters if it was going to be a silly amount of change. Easier to count and deal with.