Today I went to the grocery store for a few things. (If you must know one of the items was a strawberry cheesecake Lindt bar.) I went to the self check out and was behind a woman who had what I would call a casual approach to the process. One of the employees was bagging for her and she was purchasing a lot of items.
At this point I should mention I am unemployed; although I like to think of it as very early retirement. I also have infinite stores of patience.
She was in the process of scanning her coupons (the last thing before you pay for those of you unfamiliar with the process) when I noticed some bags of produce far off to her left. I pointed them out to her and they were indeed hers.
I think the woman realized she was dawdling because she turned to me and apologized for taking so long; but she turned right back to what she was doing. I smiled and said “Don’t worry; I have all the time in the world.”
I said this with a very sweet friendly voice (that is my usual voice :)) I say this all the time because for some reason people seem to need to apologized for what they are doing when I am around. I do not wear a uniform. I do not carry a gun. I do not look at all intimidating. I never drum my fingers or tap my feet. Perhaps it is my sweet disposition that makes them feel guilt. I do not know.
As she was leaving she said “Well at least someone was bagging for me so you weren’t held up too long. Have a nice day.” She said this in a very sarcastic nasty tone.:eek:
Now you understand why I wish I could order all of my basic necessities online.If she knew that she would be using coupons then why didn’t she put the produce through first?When I used to coupon I would wait until all the groceries went through THEN scan the coupons.Also if I see that someone is using coupons or taking too long,I move unless I just can’t.
At the donut shop one day, I had ordered a coffee and was waiting my turn to get at the cream and sugar. The guy ahead of me was doing this:
Pour a bit of sugar in his coffee
stir a dozen times or so
Take a taste
Add a bit of cream
Stir
Taste
Add a bit of sugar…
He went through this procedure at least four times. I held my tongue, but guess my facial expression gave me away because when he turned around, he said, “Well, you didn’t have to give me that fucked up look”, and stormed off.
I guess what I’m saying is that we should hook up him and the OP’s shopper. Sounds like they were made for each other.
I hate that - the slightly-singsong voice you might use to indicate that you are especially relaxed about something can also be perceived as sarcasm - it’s bitten me more than once in the past.
I tend to go for hopefully-less-ambiguous statements now, such as “It’s really no problem” or “don’t worry about it”.
Ah, but maybe what sounded like a sarcastic nasty tone was what her regular voice sounded like, and she was as sincere as you were, CT_Damsel!
But really, I think the phrasing is what made her sure you must be trying to chastise her, since we will probably all die some day, but the world will probably carry on anyway, so you probably do not have all the time in the world after all. “I’m in no hurry” or “no problem” sound more expected. I’m sorry your niceness was met with nastiness that you did not deserve.
Anamen, Thank you. “I’m in no hurry” does sound much better than “I have all the time in the world.” I will use it going forward. The other (IHATTINW) usually prompts the person to say “really?” and then we have a nice conversation. This is the first time it backfired; but she was not looking at me when I said it so she did not see my pleasant smile.
I’ve also found that a Columbo-style gesture (raise an open palm, bow the head slightly) helps to reinforce the sincerity of these kind of assurances of non-urgency.
I’ve taken to saying “I"m retired - I’ve got nothing else to do today…” because I am and I don’t.
Still, I do get aggravated at the person who will stand there watching the clerk scan and bag all the groceries, state the total, and only then does the wallet come out and the search for the debit card begin. Really? That came as a surprise?? :smack:
Fortunately, being retired, I usually have the store to myself when I shop in the middle of the morning. No more Saturday craziness for me!!
Could be worse… Last time I heard someone say this he was pulled over to the side of the road stroking his newlywed wife’s head after she’d been shot by SPECTRE and answering a motorcycle cop who’d stopped to see if they were okay. So see, in comparison that woman really had nothing to be snippy about.James Bond and new wife Tracy in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
I also have infinite stores of patience.
