Why you don't use the 'B' word.

I'm not superstitious. I'll walk under a ladder, let a black cat cross in front of me, just sweep up spilled salt, etc.

BUT ! ! ! !

I will insist that no one use the 'b' word in the store.

We can be going along at a pretty steady pace and then suddenly have a pause in the line-ups. And some one will say, "boy, its not b**y+ in here today." Usually a customer but sometimes it will be one of our own employees.

Our eyes fly open, we gasp and we say "don't use that word!!!!"

When they ask why, I have to explain:

Someone is sitting at their table reading the paper, watching tv, eating supper, whatever, and they hear the b-word. Their head jerks up, the nostrils twitch a little as if they can smell the fear. And they suddenly remember that they haven't bought groceries in twenty years, so they better go stock up now! Not tomorrow during the day when we aren't as busy. No it must be N O W. Someone said the b-word!!! And within 1/2 an hour we will be lined up all across the front of the store.

It has not failed yet. I'm sure they come from as far away as twenty MILES because of that one little mistake. They may have already been shopping yesterday or on the weekend, but they hear, the 'word', and they:

MUST GO SHOPPING NOW.

And then this happens:

• They usually forget their bags and complain because they have to pay for some more.
• Or they left the bags in the car or they have them with them but they are underneath all the groceries that they have just piled three feet deep on your belt.
  
• Or they have a credit or debit card that you have to swipe a few hundred times.
• Or they realize they forgot their money/purse/wallet at home. (I'll be RIGHT back [they live in Buffalo, NY])
• Or they just realize that they brought the remote, not the wallet. (actually happened)
  
• Or they say that an item was a certain price and you find out it was in last weeks flyer. Then they don't want it or they will argue with you that it should be that price anyway.
  
• Or something scans at the wrong price or isn't in the system. So you page and no one answers. And of course they REALLY, REALLY NEED that bucket of aardvark heart soup for TONIGHT'S meal. So you wait till you can get someone to answer or you go and try to find it yourself.
• Or they want cigarettes, but don't ask until you are done the order
  
• Or they ask if you take this or that card, again after the order.
  
• Or they have a card that is declined for what reason I don't know, but they insist on trying it a hundred times then walk away leaving a buggy of groceries behind including frozen and perishable items.
  
• Or you ask if they have a reward-type card and they don't answer you or they start to search for something, or they mumble something to you. You will always pick the wrong thing to do here. Either you wait then they look at you, you ask them again and they say no. Or you go ahead and process the order and they then remember that they do indeedy have one. Sometimes they say yes and you wait and they don't have it or you ask, they say no, you process the order and sure enough they did have it with them. (new wallet, or changed purses) "Can you do it now?"
• Or they don't understand English and just look at you as if you are puke green.

I'm not sure how this went from not using the 'b-word' to a primer on how to be a cashier, but . . . . . its my blog, so it goes where I go.

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Last comment and pet peeve:

I really am getting seriously pi**ed about certain people that will refuse to shell out a nickel for a plastic bag but think it perfectly okay to STEAL a buggy that ranges in price from $125.00 to $150.00.

I have even gone so far as to tell them that they can NOT take the cart off store property and then watched helplessly through the front window as they do it anyway. I would so like to be able to go after them and say "whoa, what did I just tell you?"

It wouldn't be so bad if they'd bring the darn thing back the next time they come this way, but the don't.

You can tell when it will happen too. They are usually young, in uniform and have just said no to bags. You casually ask if they are driving, and receive either a grunted 'no' or a "deer in the headlights" look which tells you they know they have been caught.

BUT, because they don't really care, that's another buggy we are going to lose.

What's really bad is that there is someone in the neighbourhood that collects the buggies in his truck, brings them to the store and we pay him for them.

(+ B**y as a bee)