Part Seven
Is it just me or does everyone get in the wrong line-up in the bank or the supermarket?
Upon entering any banking institution I seem to be faced with three or four checkers, all perfectly nice looking young ladies, however, one of the tellers has a trainee in tow.
As I wait my turn in the line up, I watch what is going on at all the counters. The trainee seems to be doing fine but each transaction has to be explained to her, rather slowing things down, I hope I do not get her today.
One of the other tellers is a chatterbox and keeps her customers rather a long time. She is good at public relations but today I just want to bank and go. I hope she will not be waiting on me.
The other two tellers seem to be doing their job efficiently and making small talk while working. I hope for either one of these girls. When I am just second in line, one of the girls puts up a closed sign and goes for lunch. I cross my fingers for the other efficient one and, believe it or not, she is the next open slot.
With a self satisfied smirk, I claim miss efficiency’s counter and begin my transaction. However, my luck has just run out and the girl with the trainee in tow comes over with a question. Several minutes elapse whilst explanations are made and various paperwork is rustled through.
By now, the last customer has been served and one of the tellers is standing idle. I would love to move to her station but feel it would be rude. Not wanting to be thought rude, I stay and quietly seethe while the three young women fiddle about with various papers.
I am not sure if she sees smoke coming out of my ears, but my teller calls to the girl who is unoccupied and asks if she would take over my transaction. My banking is completed but, still in a snit, I go out the door and almost trio over a young girl begging for spare change. It is not my normal policy to give money to street kids, I prefer to buy them food, however, I feel so ashamed of myself for my mean feelings in the bank, that I give her money.
My life is great, I am able to deposit money in the bank and the only thing that has upset me is having to wait for a few extra minutes. The young girl begging has no money, may not know where she will sleep tonight and is probably hungry. She is in no hurry as she has nowhere to go. I resolve to be a better person and not let silly little things make me angry.
With my new resolve I go down the street to the supermarket, do my shopping and head for the checkout. Only three are open, all with a line up, so here I go again, wondering which of these checkers will get through her line up first. I chose one which I know is always a quick worker and get in line.
As usual, I read the front covers of the magazines which offer instant weight loss, report on which star is sleeping with another star’s husband and interviews with people who have been abducted by aliens. All nonsense but make the time pass quicker and take my mind off the candy bars which are lined up enticingly between me and the checkout stand.
Two women who have lined up behind me start to gossip about someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer. I try to hear the name of the person but only hear the first name mentioned. My mind does an instant recall of all the women I know with that first name. They then go on with an interesting titbit of information regarding someone who is cheating on her husband. I strain my ears to listen in but, the next checkout opens and both women hurry to line up in it.
Feeling rather deflated I turn my attention back to the line up in front of me. Only two customers left and the one in front of me only has a few items. She gets her few things on to the moving belt and then asks for cigarettes. There is another short conversation regarding the brands of cigarettes, then the woman is ready to pay. I notice how horribly expensive the cigarettes are, they cost more than the few groceries she has. While I have been looking at the cost of the smoking habit, I had not noticed that the woman now had her chequebook out.
I can’t believe that she is writing cheques, does she not know the joy of an instant bankcard? However, she not only writes a cheque, she asks for extra money from her account, to be added to the bill. The whole transaction takes maybe one minute but, to those waiting in line, it seems like a lifetime. I would never be so inconsiderate.
The checker has got nearly all my groceries put into my reusable shopping bags when I remember I was out of bananas. I race down to the produce aisle and grab a bunch then race back and throw them on the counter. The woman behind me gives me a dirty look, I don’t know what is the matter with her, it only took me a minute to get the bananas, is she in such a hurry that it made any difference to her day? Thank goodness I am not like her and always in such a hurry. Life is too short to get upset about waiting in line, What is the matter with people?