What were they thinking?

Here is another round of scenes from life I can think about putting into a future book (not to be confused with a futuristic book!)

"Do you have your rewards card?" The stunningly beautiful cashier smiled at the young man. (Hey, it's MY life turned into a novel...I can make myself look anyway I want!)
"Can you look it up by my phone number?" The devilish gleam in his eye should have hinted at what was to come.
"Of course, sir. What is your phone number?"
"It's 919-867-5309."
The cashier struggled not to laugh as the song began to run through her head. "I have 15 people listed with that number, can you tell me your last name?"

Hint to the public: if the number is famous, people have used it on their rewards card applications. You are not being original.

Then there was the guy who looked about 22-25. He gives me a VA benefits card as "proof of age" to buy his wine. Ummmm, there's no birthdate and you can enlist at 17 so I need a different ID...he gets angry, demands the manager accept the ID, and storms out yelling how he'll buy his food at the rival grocery store instead. Hmmmmm. Can we say I now DEFINITELY believe he's under age?

More lessons for the checkout lane

So what is the result of my time as a cashier? Well, I can think of some great happenings for secondary characters. Then there are some ideas for new characters or new situations for some current main characters...hot plate being used for samples + clumsy boy +ice bags...it's a scene in progress based on real life!!!!

Meanwhile, my son is writing his book. The first scene takes place in a small grocery store...it's nice to be thought of as an "expert" for someone else's research! He's taking his time really fleshing out the plot and characters as he develops the story. Hopefully he won't finish before I finish Troll Quest! Which reminds me...must charge laptop before family reunion so I can hide out and type another chapter.

Tales for the Register

When you come to the store, what are you thinking about? Do you, as one woman does, think about what fellow shoppers are buying? Do you ask your cashier, "So, I bet you see a lot of strange things being purchased when you check people out, don't you?" (Now, honestly, how can I respond to that?)

Then there are the alternative payment plans:
1. When writing a check, do you really need to split the bill between two checks when those two checks are consecutive checks written from the same account? If there's enough in there to cover the entire bill, does it matter how many checks you write?
2. Then there is the customer who wants everything rung up in $25 increments. She pays for every portion with the same credit card. Then, when you are on the 8th or 9th transaction, she tells you to just "ring up the rest together" whether that amounts to $50 or $75, it doesn't matter.
3. If you have to use 2 or 3 different credit cards to pay for your beer or wine, you might rethink the necessity of purchasing alcohol at the present time.

Others just don't think. If produce is being purchased, don't fit three different vegetables into one produce bag. Since they are purchased by weight, I must remove them all from the bag and ring each type up separately. This is the same for fruits and vegetables. Or, handing me the bag with your child's half-eaten doughnut that is smeared on the outside. I do have to touch the rest of your groceries, you know. Not to mention everyone else's groceries. And if you are purchasing some food that your child has had in his/her mouth, I'd prefer you hand me the candy bar in your hand to scan twice...rather than have your child's germs and slobber on my hands.

Most customers are fabulous. I am keeping in my prayers the woman who is getting her cochlear implant on Friday...she is hoping to hear for the first time in 25 years out of that ear. I love what she said: "I am so looking forward to knowing if my husband says he did or didn't do something!" And to all those 30+ year olds I've carded...you must be living right because you DON'T look your age!