Can I Help You?

“Excuse me?” I say to the nearest of several clerks stocking cooler shelves. I had chosen some wine and now stand ready to pay for it at one of the automated registers. There are no other options – all their registers are automated.

This was routine for me – I knew the drill; get wine, and what other incidentals I need, find a clerk and stand by as a code is keyed into the machine that will allow me to purchase the wine.

The clerk looks up to me and asks. “Do you need some help?’

It seemed to me the answer was obvious – I was holding two bottles of wine. I reply anyway. “Yes.”

The clerk drops what she is doing and comes directly to me then asks again. “Do you need help checking out?”

And I’m thinking. Really? I am standing in front of the register – what else would I be wanting? I answer with a hint of annoyance. “I can’t do this without you.”

“Oh, okay,” she says then quickly keys in the code and scans my bottles. She has to repeat the process several times before she gets it right then leaves me to finish the transaction.

As I’m putting away my change and tucking the receipt into my wallet – my wine bottles resting on the bagging side scale – another clerk approaches. “Do you need help?’

I look at her in disbelief – thinking it ridiculous that she would even ask – for it is obvious to anyone I have completed my transaction and am readying to leave.

Then she gives me a stern look and repeats the question. I am not sure if she is annoyed with me or thinks I’m stealing wine – really, I don’t know what her look is supposed to mean.

I answer her. “If I hadn’t been helped, I wouldn’t be walking out with this wine.”

I can see you ask yourself – what life altering revelation am I to be taking from this story?

Sorry, there isn’t one.

I only wanted to show you how annoying some of the clerks can be at my local grocery store. Oh, the things I have to put up with. 😉

Until tomorrow – Write On!

~ K. L. Parry