drama at the check-out (lyn)

Had she not barged in front of me with her cart, I really wouldn’t have cared, but she did, so I did too.

I’m at D’Agastino’s with a full basket of two OJ’s, one 2-litre bottle of Coke (for Alexander), a big bottle of fat-free milk, and a package of celery.  Five items.  As I’m approaching the Express Line, which explicitly states, “10 items or less,” a woman quickly pushes her way in front of me, then smiles and says, “I was here first.”  She wasn’t.  I look in her cart and count 16 items. 

     Me:  Excuse me, but you should be in one of the other lines.  You have 16 items; you are more than 50% over the limit for THIS line.”  (I know I am being particularly obnoxious).

     Her:  (She says nothing, totally ignoring me).

     Me:  I’m sorry, perhaps you didn’t hear me.  You have too many items to be in this line.

     Her:  (Again, she ignores me).

     Me:  Could you please go into another line?  You have 16 items.  You need to have 10 or less to be in this line.

     The Man Behind Me:  I agree.  You shouldn’t be in this line.  I only have one item.

     Her, to the Man Behind Me:  You can go in front of me then.

     The Man Behind Me, to Me:  Is that okay with you?  (He asks as a rhetorical question).

     Me, to The Man Behind Me:  No, it’s not okay.

     Her:  Well, he asked me and I said it was okay.

     Me:  Yes, but he’s not just cutting the line in front of you, he’s cutting the line in front of me too, and the people behind me.

     (Both now ignore me).

     Me:  That’s not fair to all of us in line.  What about the girl behind me who only has two items?  And the person behind her with three items?  Because I have five items, should I let them all go in front of me?  I mean c’mon, this IS the Express Line.  Every transaction should be a quick one.  Except of course if you have 16 items.

     Her, to the Man Behind Me:  Sir, please, go ahead, it’s fine with me.  (Pretending to be magnanimous just to irk me, I’m sure).

     The Man (previously) Behind Me, to Her:  Thank-you (as he jumps to the front of the line to pay for his one item).

Then, the woman with the 16 items pays by credit card and wants her purchase delivered.  She now has to fill out a delivery form, holding up the Express Line, which has now grown to about 7 people, even longer.

Really, some people shouldn’t be allowed in a store.