Before I get one step closer to the rest of this post, I wish to add a disclaimer. The pet peeves I’m about to discuss have nothing to do with my local grocery store. I love the clerks there and my kids and I look forward to seeing them. Now that that’s taken care of, I less-than-love many clerks in other stores. In fact, some of them take me to the brink of insanity. My checkout line experience is often a true test of character.
I have nothing against retail workers. When I was young, I was one. And, let me just say that way back then, we clerks weren’t allowed to talk to each other on the floor. We had to wait until we were in the break room. That might have been extreme. Times have changed and change means progress. Progress is usually good. NOT in this case, however. In this case, it has created a monster that tops my list of pet peeves.
I am not interested in your personal life
When I am purchasing food, I expect the clerk at the checkout to pay attention to my order. This would not include looking over my shoulder to the clerk two registers away. It also would not include shouting to said clerk about your upcoming visit to see your boyfriend in prison. Truth be told, I don’t want to know about your boyfriend’s criminal history. Pet peeves are things that greatly annoy people. It greatly annoys me when you are supposed to be ringing up my order and you’re shouting over my head.
Those are my berries spilling all over your conveyor belt
Want to talk about pet peeves? Yes, well, that’s an understatement for what I’m feeling when you’re so busy talking to the bagger that you’re not watching what you’re doing with my food. I’m pretty sure my berries are supposed to stay inside the container until I get them home. I definitely do not want you to scrape them up after you spill them and put them back into the container for me. Nope. No, thanks. I no longer want them. Your conveyor belt is a cesspool of germs.
If you ignore me, it adds to my pet peeves
My pet peeves list continues when I am the next customer in your line and you stare right through me. We don’t have to be life-long buddies. However, I shouldn’t have to feel as though I’m inconveniencing you or intruding upon your free time. Oh, that’s right. It’s not your free time. You are on the clock and someone is paying you to ring up my grocery order. I’m sorry if you’ve had a bad day but I’m fairly certain it’s not my fault.
Please learn how to count back change
One more thing sets off my pet peeves meter at the grocery store. The deer-in-the-headlights look clerks get when it comes time to count back change. Wait. They don’t actually do that because they don’t know how. Instead, they announce my total. I hand them money. Their eyes glaze over and they stare at the digital screen on their registers. They look in their drawer. Back at the screen. Finally, they take out some bills and coins. Next, they stare at it in their hand. They slowly move it toward my hand while glancing back at the screen. Then, they simply announce the amount showing on their register.
Note to all grocery store clerks: This is not how you count back change! In no way, does this assure me or confirm that you have handed me the proper amount of money. In fact, it doesn’t even prove that you have handed me the amount showing on your screen. You announced the amount, then dumped some money into my hand. It confirms nothing. Nada. Zip. By this time, I usually need some dark chocolate, a glass of wine and a vacation. Then again, I might just give curb service a try instead.
