What's the most embarassing thing that ever happened to you on a line to a cashier?

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What's the most embarassing thing that ever happened to you on a line to a cashier?--Al

-- Al Schroeder (al.schroeder@nashville.com), July 20, 2000

Answers

Well, maybe this has happened to someone before, but a few years ago, I went shopping for my then husband and two step kids. I filled up the whole cart.. and it came to be about $100 or so.

When she had rung it up I realized with dread: I had left my wallet at home.

That was embarrassing for me.

-- Katie (missmermaid@hotmail.com), July 20, 2000.


This actually happened to another special ed. teacher I know: she took her kids to the store, who all had mild developmental disabilites. She wanted to teach them money managment, and it was up to them to figure out how many things they could get with the money they had. When they got to the cashier, he informed them they didn't have enough money for their purchase, and needed to put something back. One kid said, "Your not going to give this to us? You can't treat retarded people that way!" The cashier looked like he was ready to let them have their way before the teacher stepped in.

-- AJ (joijoijoi@hotmail.com), July 21, 2000.

You mean aside from not having enough money on hand AND my bank card wouldn't work because I forgot the PIN and the huge line up of people behind me?

Aside from that, this wasn't in line but in the aisle. Addison was acting up (he was about 3) and a leaned over to hiss in his ear he'd better smarten up or else.

So then he screams, crouches on the floor in horror, crying "DON'T BEAT ME MOMMY!"

Nope, not my kid... never saw him before....

-- Andrea (renhold@nbnet.nb.ca), July 21, 2000.


A longhard day at work, stopping in a store to purchase something needed at home, long line, finally get to counter and cashier goes through all those familiar motions and then picks up her phone, talks a minute and says, "I'm sorry sir, your card is not accepted (Whatever they say) do you have other means to pay ?" Ticked off, in a hurry, had to have item and knowing I had more than sufficient funds in my credit union to pay, with a flushed face it was necessary to mumble some stupid thing, make my escape. Went home got my checkbook and so back to the store, still long lines, same cashier - suspicion on her part - called manager on phone - he came okayed the check. Line behind getting rebellious and making remarks some of which were plainly audible to all. Grabbed the goods and receipt and made which I hoped was a dignified, rapid retreat - - - steaming. Debit Card was okay, worked other places after that. Took a while for my spoiled, little boy, useless bad temper to cool and disappear. Oh, the wonders of modern technology!

-- Denver doug (ionoi@webtv.net), July 21, 2000.

See, some of these things that have happened to Al's family and others' as well - I wouldn't necessarily have been embarassed. I get way more angry at them rather than embarassed for myself. In my mind, people who treat others poorly because they jump to conclusions or because they have preconceived notions about how "X" people are supposed to act, or what it generally represents, then they are the ones who should feel embarassed, not me! Recently, I had a huge blowout with the (excuse the french) assholes at CVS when filling prescriptions for my grandmother. They completely made fun of her last name, and tried to pass it off as good customer service. It particularly irritated me because our family's last name is very ethnic - it is obviously not of US-origin. I *know* they wouldn't have made fun of it if our last name were Smith. But that's another topic entirely.

Now, what's embarassing? Cards declining, forgetting the pin, forgetting the wallet - all of that is enough to make me cringe. Thankfully, whenever that has happened cashiers have been really sympathetic.

-- Lis (lis_beth76@yahoo.com), July 21, 2000.


On a dare, at age nineteen, I walked into a Kroger during a very busy part of the afternoon and went into the over-crowded "20 items or less" aisle with one item - A case of Budweiser. There I stood patiently until it was my turn. When the clerk asked for my ID I handed it to him. He looked at, looked at me, and said I couldn't buy it. "Why not?" I asked. He said I was only 19. I told him I knew that. He told me I had to be twenty-one to buy beer. I replied, "Yeah, so what's the problem?" I could hear the people behind me rolling their eyes. He tried to explain that nineteen was less than twenty-one so I couldn't buy the beer. I just kept acting like I didn't get it, and began acting as if I were getting every bit as annoyed as those behind me. Someone about four people back finally said "Just sell him the f***ing beer!" I shot a sly grin as he slid the case across the scanner. I handed him my stack of one dollar bills and told him he could keep the change. I figured his trouble was worth every bit of seventeen cents. (Yeah, I used to be quite a little jerk.)

-- Kev Summitt (kevsummitt@aol.com), July 25, 2000.

About ten years ago I was out with my boyfriend when he realized that his supply of condoms was running low. We stopped at a nearby grocery store and picked up some more. As we went through the checkout line, with six or seven people behind us, the cashier held them up for all to see and said to us, "Do you need these in a bag?".

-- Gina (vs6599@netscape.net), July 26, 2000.

Actually... I wrote a piece about this about a month ago. ;)

http://free.prohosting.com/~atara/2000/06/062700.html

-- Atara (atara@raex.com), July 30, 2000.


I was drunk and dropped a 12 pack of bottles on the floor. Let's just say that couldn't happen since March 6, 1997.

-- Chris Hawkins (peace@clover.net), August 11, 2000.

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