Busy durations at the grocery store comes in spurts. There are dead periods where the checkers stand around reading magazines, chatting with each other, or cleaning the registers. Then there are times where the store is absolutely packed with all the checkstands open. Its never in between, its either we have too many checkers or not enough of them and when we don’t, the long lines don’t do us any justice. It seems as if people all sync their clocks and come in at the same time.
Its about 10 pm and work has been very slow. There’s a few people in the store but it appears they’re just buying snacks. Amber is reading the National Enquirer and giggling about how Mariah Carey packed on 42lbs, while she waits for her last break.
Closing Checker: Hey, can you cover me for my last 10-minute break? It’s been dead.
Me: Yeah, sure.
Closing Checker: I’m gonna go outside for a smoke, K?
As soon as she disappears outside; there’s one customer, then two, then three… its now a huge line with about 12 people in it with more coming.
Lucky Customer #1: Man, I’m glad I beat this!
I can feel the tension building up as I’m checking as fast as I can, then I hear someone in the background yell…
Background Singer: Hey! You wanna call someone else up here!
There’s only two people that can check this late and its Amber and myself.
Sympathetic Sweetheart: Are you really the only one up here?
Me: Yes, the other checker is on her break.
Sympathetic Sweetheart: Aww… sucks to be you.
Some customers are mumbling about the line and another yell’s out, “This is ridiculous!” I can feel the sweat pouring down the side of my face. Each customer I check out I get the “stink face” and when I’m brave enough to look at the line, all I see are people glaring at me as if I just kicked their dog.
About 6 minutes into her break, I announce on the intercom for Amber…
Me: Amber, can you check please! Amber check!
Oh no… she still outside.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
The immediateness of technology is making us increasingly less patient.
That might be the issue, but I blame american society. People nowadays have lost most common sense and patience. If anything, they should feel sympathetic for the the lone checker who’s working their ass off getting people through as quickly as possible.