notes from the checkout

On my last shift the weather outside was wonderful. As our local newspaper said, the thermometer finally caught up with the season. I frequently work in the afternoons so I can walk Lady in the morning and catch some sun. My customers tell me how sorry they feel for me to be stuck inside on a beautiful day. I tell them that it's much better to be employed and inside instead of unemployed and outside. Trust me, people, we know the weather outside; we have windows.
Our union is in the midst of negotiations with the big grocery chains. The independents will settle for whatever the chains and the union agree upon. It's a disconcerting time. We have extended the contract to June but right now both sides are pretty far away on the issues. It would be nice to get some of the extra things that we are asking for but I just hope we don't lose anything. Some of our members do not get paid until the third day they are sick. lWhere I work we can get sick pay the first day with a doctor's note. Management wants to increase our deductible and make it so that new hires have to wait 24 months to get their families insured. We need fair health care for all of our employees.

notes from the checkout

It's really cold out here in Seattle. The temperature was somewhere in the teens this morning. There is possible snow in the forecast for Friday. Here in the Emerald City that means it's time to buy groceries. We never know whether a snow forecast will mean no snow, a dusting, or a foot of snow. We get laughed at for our snow driving but it doesn't snow here often and we have very steep hilly streets to slide on. The city doesn't invest a lot of money in snow removal either. A lot of us just park our cars outside our houses and wait for the snow to melt before we venture out. I even picked up a few things after work just in case.

Notes from the checkout ( aka raves from the checkout)

'Twas the weekend before Thanksgiving and hordes of shoppers descended upon the grocery store. I worked as fast as I could typing in codes, scanning items, bagging groceries, and handling money, all while fighting back pain--when whom to my wondering eyes did appear, an auditor with no case of beer. She had me ring up a basket of groceries and when it was time to pay she told me, "I'm an auditor, just void the items and put them back." She had also hidden some items that I didn't catch in a spot I'd never think to look and had never been told to look. I'm not telling what because I don't want to give anyone any ideas. Growl, way to ruin my already stressful day! Fortunately after that it was lunch time and I ran into the boss. He said not to worry about it; it wasn't on her report. Hmmm, maybe she was messing with my mind.

I had several nice customers and then came a lady with her school-age daughter. The daughter was unloading the shopping cart and I told her she didn't have to unload the giant box of heavy logs. I could get the code. The lady snapped, "I'll handle my daughter." I replied that I had just spoken to her daughter the same way I would speak to any adult. I don't want them to hurt their back or mine. Growl! I was in trouble for treating a child like a human being.
It's going to be a long holiday season. Thanks to Clement C. Moore, I think. There's a controversy over who wrote the lines I borrowed from Night Before Christmas.

Contemplating seasons

Each day as I walk with Lady the tree colors are different. There is more orange and red intermingled with the green. The days grow colder and the last hot days of summer have come and gone. I hear a lot of complaints about it from my customers but there are others who like the cool crisp days of fall. There are the smells of hot apple cider and pumpkin pie or the newer scent of pumpkin spice lattes. There is something to be said about the rhythm of seasons. They give me a sense of the continuity of life. Leaves turn red then fall. Barren leaves of winter give way to the buds of spring. The lush foliage of summer changes back to red and the cycle begins again.

notes from the checkout

Last week a brand new grocery store in a brand new building opened across the street from us. It's beautiful, glitzy, and on staple items pricey. Our store was relatively quiet last week since everyone was across the street. I think the assistant manager did a good job scheduling us. It wasn't crazy busy but it wasn't totally dead either. Some of the customers who came into our store had been across the street told us that we don't have a lot to worry about. Sure, their sales are good but the things people buy every day are more expensive. We'll see what happens after all the excitement dies down. Our boss told us to give the best customer service possible (which we should be doing anyway) to keep our customer base coming back to us.

Notes from the Checkout

I worked from afternoon through evening yesterday. It seemed like every small child was crying. I mentioned to one of my customers that I hadn't heard as many kid meltdowns on the same day for a long time. She reminded me that it was the first day of school for Seattle Public Schools. Even if the small child was not going to school, if their siblings were there was a change in routine. They had to go to bed earlier the night before and get up earlier yesterday morning. I remembered being unable to sleep before the first day of school back in the day. Ah, there was an explanation for the behavior and also why we were so busy in the evening. When it was punch out time I was glad to go home for a little peace and quiet.

Notes from the checkout

Today was very busy with everyone getting ready for Father's Day and other celebrations. A couple of women walked in the store. One asked to use the phone and then they started yelling at each other. Lady 1 was accusing Lady 2 of stealing a cell phone from Lady 1's daughter. Lady 2 said she didn't even know Lady 1's daughter. I called "Security to the front end!" They kept yelling at each other and took it outside. No one was hurt. Just another day at the grocery store.

notes from the checkout

Remember how my last note talked about me being nice. Well, yesterday I didn't feel so nice at the checkstand. One of the customers didn't understand that a coupon that says limit one purchase of two doesn't mean that you can use multiple coupons for the same deal. Another didn't understand why her phone number wasn't immediately in the database when she had just gotten our loyalty card on her last trip. I felt like growling but took a deep breath between customers. It was not an ideal shift. I bought some chocolate soy milk (oh the joys of lactose intolerance) and had a big hot mug of it at home. This was after coming home to no parking place in front of my house and venting to Mr. D. All was well after a few games of Tetris, the hot chocolate, and a good night's sleep.

Notes from the checkout

Yesterday a customer felt sorry for me because I have to be nice. If I didn't like working with the public I wouldn't be in retail. I enjoy my job except when I get grouches for customers or if I'm having a bad day. Other than that I get to play store and get paid for it. I work near where I live and everyone sooner or later needs to buy groceries. I see people from the neighborhood that I haven't seen for years and get to re-awaken old friendships and ties. Being nice to people isn't so bad. For the most part they're nice back.

notes from the checkout

Yesterday was Valentine's Day and I started my shift at seven in the morning in the express line. We were very busy selling cards, flowers, and chocolate and, oh yeah, groceries. One of my customers noted about another, "That guy's brave. He's only buying one flower." Who knows, maybe his beloved was swept off her feet. One man was angry that the wife wanted cut flowers instead of a plant which would last. I'm glad she wasn't there to listen. Is showing that you care for someone such a burden?
I love flowers but I wouldn't want my husband to buy them because he has to but because he wants to. I wasn't feeling well last night so I asked my husband to make Top Ramen for me because that was what I craved. We watched a DVD together with my feet up on the couch. That, to me is love more beautiful than a dozen roses.