I confess, I actually like grocery shopping.  Usually I go by myself while my husband hangs with the boys at home so its actually some nice me time.  Even though there is a brand new huge store just across the freeway, I almost always go to a smaller old store that is slightly closer and that has been there since I was a young girl.  Unfortunately, my experience tonight was not great reinforcement for that behavior.

I filled my cart and since I had several items, passed up the self check out and headed for the one checkout lane available for shoppers with more than 15 items.  There were two people ahead of me and I was distracted by some of the more obnoxious magazine covers so I didn’t notice the rather lengthy line forming behind me.  When the lady behind me asked the checker if she could call her manager, it occurred to me that I had been waiting a while.  The checker looked annoyed and confused so the lady who made the request added that the line was getting long and perhaps it would be helpful to open up another lane.  The checker muttered something under her breath and then took her time making the call.

After several minutes another checker finally appeared and the customer who had requested that a manager be called moved to the new lane.  The checker immediately began complaining about the customer stating that the line had not been that long.  At this point, I was starting to get pretty annoyed myself so in classic me fashion I spoke up to defend my fellow customer.  I informed the checker that actually the line had gotten pretty long and furthermore the vocal customer had not been complaining about her – she merely requested that she call for some help.  At this point, the checker fell silent and refused to make eye contact with me.

Normally I’m very appreciative of employees at the grocery store.  These folks work on holidays so that I have the convenience of being able to shop at the last minute and the butchers at this particular store take really good care of me.  But here we are in a down economy with a much newer and nicer store right around the corner and this chick is being rude to her customers (also know as the people that keep her employed.)

So instead of having my usual relaxing grocery shopping experience, I came home annoyed.  Annoyed because I would never treat one of my customers that way.  Annoyed because if that kind of behavior continues, my favorite grocery store probably won’t make it.  Annoyed because this checker obviously hasn’t figured out that if the store goes, her job goes with it and then she’ll be collecting unemployment – funded in part by my tax dollars.  Annoyed because in these uncertain times it doesn’t take much to get me thinking about the entitlement attitude and behavior that got us into this economic mess.  And most of all, annoyed because I’m worried about my boys and what the remainer of their childhood will be like in this down economy.