Rants and Rambles

It seems some people need an introduction to Common Sense or better yet MANNERS. I am thinking of creating a new phrase. Rather than having "road rage" (which I often feel the need to have) I'm ready to have "Reg rage" (as in register rage). I am very much aware that those working at a cash register are on their feet all day and work for little pay. BUT they are employed and they are accepting a wage for the time that they are working. That in and of itself requires some responsibility.

I am completely positive that there is no such thing as training for cashiers. I mean SERIOUSLY! I have experience in this area. I really really do. I started out as a cashier. I worked on Sunday mornings and Saturday nights and on school nights and on holidays. I did it. I did not love it - so therefore, I changed careers. I can spend days giving you horror stories of customers. Smelly customers, picky customers, rude customers, sad customers and then those that were a joy to help. I don't remember having to be told NOT to be rude to the customers. It was just plain old common sense to me that I needed to be nice. I actually was very proud of myself that this one lady and her mother would only check out in my line. They trusted me and me alone. I was not allowed to start checking out her groceries until she had everything on the counter. And People - there were NO scanners. I had to memorize the sale paper to give the proper discounted price. Yes mam - I could memorize that sale paper and I could key in those groceries at lightning speed (or so I thought). This one lady would even ask me to slow down so she could double check every single item I rang up. YEP - every single item had to be double checked. But not one single time was I rude to her or her mother. It was my job and I chose to do it to the best of my ability. Maybe mine is a pride thing. I just thought I had good common sense and good manners. But who knows - maybe they are telling their kids and grandkids what an awful cashier I was.

So I decided to define Manners:

Websters says that manners are the unenforced standards of conduct which show that you are proper, polite, and refined.

Wow - Refined maybe not me but I desire to be proper and polite. Yes I most certainly do fail and fail often, but this is my blog post to rant and I am about to rant about the lack of manners and common sense that I experienced last week!!!

I recently stood in line behind several customers that seemed to be taking forever to purchase - unpurchase - charge - pay a little cash and on and on and on. I simply wanted to buy my daughter a pair of tennis shoes. Just as it was to be my turn - he (the cashier) says - "oh she can get you at that other register". YEP - sent me to another register after I had waited for what seemed like an eternity. NOT when he noticed how long his line was or how long his customers were taking to make their decisions. Just seconds before it was my turn. REALLY!!

But the winner in lack of manners goes to the person Christina (and sorry I didn't ask your permission to use this) posted about on Facebook saving a place in line at that big discount store. Oh yes they were saving a place in line. I am so amused at that story. And heck no she didn't allow them to save the place. Good job Christina.

My next rant is a two part. Why on earth would a local discount store stock their shelves on Saturday morning? Is this not one of the busiest times of the week to shop and they have every single isle full of stock carts? I was beyond frustrated. I could not navigate down the isles and was very close to just leaving everything that I had managed to get my hands on right there in the buggy. They would never have noticed another cart blocking their isles. SO - I decide that I'll just ask someone where and how do I get to the deodorant so I can just get it and leave. Well by golly the two people stocking the shelves were BOTH talking on their cell phones. Loudly and while NOT stocking shelves. I was done by that time.


Last but certainly not the least of my rants was at a local fast food restaraunt in which I was ordering a cake for my little guys party. After several minutes of trying to get assistance I was given a book to peruse in order to make my selection. Then cashier number one refers me to cashier number two when I am ready to place my order. Cashier number two has Zero interest in helping me and does nothing to acknowlege my presence- so I do what any sane person would do - I get in cashier Number 3's line. By this time I am frustrated and ready to call it a bust and head to another location. Oh but no my little guy is looking at me with puppy dog eyes and wants that particular cake. Of course he does! So, cashier number 3 asks how she can help me - and I politely (yes I'm still being polite) tell her I would like to order this cake and point it out to her. Suddenly cashier number 2 rudely tells me that she was going to help me and I should step back over to the other counter. Really - Seriously - after zero acknowlegement, I am to assume that you are going to help me????????????????? My teeth are shorter from the grinding and my tongue sore from the biting but the cake was ordered and the boy was happy. Me - not so much - other than I was thinking "blog post".

So it seems that blogging about things that get under my skin seems to be helping me keep my cool. Since I see it as good writing material these days - I just smile and say - blog post!

Not going to ramble other than all of that rambling I did in the Rants!! Sorry!

Love you guys,
Diane