It’s been a crazy 24 hours so I thought I’d share a cute little story with you all.
A few weeks ago I popped into Aldi for a few things and because I pay cash I have to use the wo/manned register. So I’m behind this dear elderly couple, maybe in their late eighties/ early nineties. She has a walker, he as nimble as an elderly gentleman could be at that age.
They go to pay and she’s obviously the keeper of the funds so she opens the purse and is handing the young cashier the mullah, one penny at a time. That’s ok. I’m patient with the old cheeses. We all get old. Oh no. Somethings gone wrong. Not enough cash. The poor banker is confused. The cashier offers a solution. You can pay some with cash, some on the bank card. Great many discussions were had between the 3 of them. A decision was made. The banker now produces the card and hands it to her husband. The gentleman did not know how to use the eftpos so the cashier helps him. He then carefully punches in the numbers one per minute. Approved. More discussions were made about how they could’ve got the budget so wrong before they slowly move on with an apology.
No worries mate. We get it. Shits fucked.
So what are the chances that I get stuck behind this couple AGAIN a week later. Probably a million to one but hey just call me lucky. This time the budget was better. The banker opens the purse and hands over the cash one penny at a time while the gentleman is packing the groceries. All done but she hasn’t moved from the cashier. A discussion was had. activate the patience button CEO. She takes a tiny step. More discussions. Do not push the old lady with your trolley like they do if you breakdown in the Burnley tunnel. At this point I look at the cashier and she swivels her chair so she could have a little giggle. I look at my groceries thinking I’m hungry. I could start eating them. A few more ballerina steps and the couple have now stopped at the corner where the groceries get thrown at you. More discussions. It appears they can not walk and talk. breathe. At this point the cashier has said “have a good day” at least 3 times. He is now aware they are holding up the line so apologises and encourages her to keep walking. They stop at the end where the trolley goes to pack. The cashier can not start yet. I dare not look at her. I am hungry. They eventually move on.
I waited the whole time with a smile on my face but I’ll still refer to it as Helldi.
Sounds like you managed to contain yourself very gracefully! I have an adjacent story this week. I was getting takeaway coffee and a woman in front of me had a toddler, who she lifted up and put to sit on the counter. Ordered and paid and then just stood there playing with toddler not moving. Cafe person looked to me to take my order, woman did not take the hint. I said excuse me, and she smiled and took half a step to the side, still taking up most of the counter space and toddler left sitting on counter. Cafe person took my order and I swear I saw an eye roll when she turned away. Like GTFO of the way lady, and take your kids bum off the counter where people are getting served drinks.
OMG…a few weeks ago took my son to EB games. He grabbed what he wanted and waited to pay. Family in front of us, mum+dad with pre-teen kids. They finish their purchase and just stand there chatting. The dad is looking at his phone, the mum is asking the kids what they want to eat. 10 seconds in, I just say (loudly) ‘Excuse me’ and place myself between the parents. They finally took the hint and moved away.
You have way more patience that I do in such situations. Granted, Aldi is not the place to go when you’re in a hurry, but the elderly that need to chit chat with the cashiers drive me up the wall.
I love the German way of things. Go in. Pay. Leave.
It was excruciating. Up there with when the oldies discuss what they will choose to eat for the week while standing in front of the meat, man handling all the packages. Ffffucking move. Please.
I get that we’re a nation of migrants, but I expect some level of the local language, especially for those who have lived here for 30+ years.
Kinda our fault (or the governments) for not mandating a national language. We don’t do it cause it opens a can of worms with indigenous folks and asks uncomfortable questions about national identity, but we don’t care that not having one fucks over the immigrants we so desperately want. Cause god forbid our population stagnates, but also fuck anyone doing IVF, for some reason?
There’s a pair of older euro women that I’ve seen be difficult every time they’re at savemore. They run the same scams every time. The fourth time I called them out for queue jumping and arguing for the multiple discount on single items every time they come. They shouted at me to stay out of their business. I laughed at them. Haven’t seen them since. Stuff customer service bullies.
Ooooh the queue jumping!!! Had to call out some people for that shit too. Lady waiting in line with a basket, her mate saddles up next to hear with a full trolley like it’s nothing. I can tolerate a couple of items (regularly let people in front of my at Aldi when I got a full trolley and they have a few things), but a trolley? No chance sister.
you did well to not drop a polite “Excuse me, I’m so sorry, but there a lot of us waiting”. I feel for them, I do, but reach out and join a social club if you need a chat!
Haha. I was trying really hard not to rear-end her with my trolley. I did casually look behind me and saw all these heads left and right. I wanted to yell back “it’s not me”.
It’s been a crazy 24 hours so I thought I’d share a cute little story with you all.
A few weeks ago I popped into Aldi for a few things and because I pay cash I have to use the wo/manned register. So I’m behind this dear elderly couple, maybe in their late eighties/ early nineties. She has a walker, he as nimble as an elderly gentleman could be at that age.
They go to pay and she’s obviously the keeper of the funds so she opens the purse and is handing the young cashier the mullah, one penny at a time. That’s ok. I’m patient with the old cheeses. We all get old. Oh no. Somethings gone wrong. Not enough cash. The poor banker is confused. The cashier offers a solution. You can pay some with cash, some on the bank card. Great many discussions were had between the 3 of them. A decision was made. The banker now produces the card and hands it to her husband. The gentleman did not know how to use the eftpos so the cashier helps him. He then carefully punches in the numbers one per minute. Approved. More discussions were made about how they could’ve got the budget so wrong before they slowly move on with an apology.
No worries mate. We get it. Shits fucked.
So what are the chances that I get stuck behind this couple AGAIN a week later. Probably a million to one but hey just call me lucky. This time the budget was better. The banker opens the purse and hands over the cash one penny at a time while the gentleman is packing the groceries. All done but she hasn’t moved from the cashier. A discussion was had. activate the patience button CEO. She takes a tiny step. More discussions. Do not push the old lady with your trolley like they do if you breakdown in the Burnley tunnel. At this point I look at the cashier and she swivels her chair so she could have a little giggle. I look at my groceries thinking I’m hungry. I could start eating them. A few more ballerina steps and the couple have now stopped at the corner where the groceries get thrown at you. More discussions. It appears they can not walk and talk. breathe. At this point the cashier has said “have a good day” at least 3 times. He is now aware they are holding up the line so apologises and encourages her to keep walking. They stop at the end where the trolley goes to pack. The cashier can not start yet. I dare not look at her. I am hungry. They eventually move on.
I waited the whole time with a smile on my face but I’ll still refer to it as Helldi.
Sounds like you managed to contain yourself very gracefully! I have an adjacent story this week. I was getting takeaway coffee and a woman in front of me had a toddler, who she lifted up and put to sit on the counter. Ordered and paid and then just stood there playing with toddler not moving. Cafe person looked to me to take my order, woman did not take the hint. I said excuse me, and she smiled and took half a step to the side, still taking up most of the counter space and toddler left sitting on counter. Cafe person took my order and I swear I saw an eye roll when she turned away. Like GTFO of the way lady, and take your kids bum off the counter where people are getting served drinks.
Omg. What an entitled mole.
OMG…a few weeks ago took my son to EB games. He grabbed what he wanted and waited to pay. Family in front of us, mum+dad with pre-teen kids. They finish their purchase and just stand there chatting. The dad is looking at his phone, the mum is asking the kids what they want to eat. 10 seconds in, I just say (loudly) ‘Excuse me’ and place myself between the parents. They finally took the hint and moved away.
I felt every bit of that story.
You have way more patience that I do in such situations. Granted, Aldi is not the place to go when you’re in a hurry, but the elderly that need to chit chat with the cashiers drive me up the wall.
I love the German way of things. Go in. Pay. Leave.
No need to socialise Beryl.
It was excruciating. Up there with when the oldies discuss what they will choose to eat for the week while standing in front of the meat, man handling all the packages. Ffffucking move. Please.
Add to that the lack of English skills (common in my area) and it just compounds my frustrations.
I get that we’re a nation of migrants, but I expect some level of the local language, especially for those who have lived here for 30+ years.
Kinda our fault (or the governments) for not mandating a national language. We don’t do it cause it opens a can of worms with indigenous folks and asks uncomfortable questions about national identity, but we don’t care that not having one fucks over the immigrants we so desperately want. Cause god forbid our population stagnates, but also fuck anyone doing IVF, for some reason?
There’s a pair of older euro women that I’ve seen be difficult every time they’re at savemore. They run the same scams every time. The fourth time I called them out for queue jumping and arguing for the multiple discount on single items every time they come. They shouted at me to stay out of their business. I laughed at them. Haven’t seen them since. Stuff customer service bullies.
Ooooh the queue jumping!!! Had to call out some people for that shit too. Lady waiting in line with a basket, her mate saddles up next to hear with a full trolley like it’s nothing. I can tolerate a couple of items (regularly let people in front of my at Aldi when I got a full trolley and they have a few things), but a trolley? No chance sister.
you did well to not drop a polite “Excuse me, I’m so sorry, but there a lot of us waiting”. I feel for them, I do, but reach out and join a social club if you need a chat!
Haha. I was trying really hard not to rear-end her with my trolley. I did casually look behind me and saw all these heads left and right. I wanted to yell back “it’s not me”.
Frustratingly cute. Hehe.
Exactly