Update on The Possible Thief

 

This is about the guy from last week that looked suspicious around our salad bar.

Appears he wandered around the store for quite a while collecting items. But, then he went through a register and paid for every single thing!

Head Cashier told me he still made everyone nervous and  that they were very surprised when he paid. The feeling is he may have been checking the store out and decided to be honest. This time.

* * * * *

When I go to work, I get in a zone. I sit in my car for a few minutes to get my mind in the game and then I head in for my shift. I get into customer/performing mode. I am especially like that when I actually have a customer. I ease off a little between customers but when there is one at my register they are my priority. I try to tune out everything else.

We have a few new people, again, and I was lucky enough to have one next to me the other day. I was to sort of keep an eye on him and help when needed. Problem was that he was at the next register to my left, which meant that when we were working his back was to me. I have difficulty hearing when I can't see a person's face. Its probably from all those years working under a huge fan. Anyway, every once in a while he'd ask me to help him with a code or a procedure.

Now, I tend to get involved in my job and am not really good at trying to do my work and someone else's at the same time. Add in the hearing disability, the background muzac, the ambient sounds and noises, and its no wonder I forgot to give someone their cash back.

CRAP ! ! ! ! ! !

This means, I am once again, green boxed.

Side note: If you make a mistake of under $10.00 on your tray you are red boxed. That means you are audited, whether scheduled to be or not, the next day you come in to work .

If you make a mistake of over $10.00 then you are green boxed. That means you are on audit for the next two weeks, starting the day after the mistake.

Don't you think that the red box should be the longer sentence?

Anyway, what I don't like is that now I have to be 'counseled.' That means I get called into the office by the boss and told I have to be more careful, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.

I can beat myself up pretty darn good without being told that I should. I HATE to make a mistake. I have very high standards for my work and accidentally cheating a customer out of money is a BIG one.

I also don't like the fact that the reason this happened was because I couldn't seem to handle the kid asking me question after question and for me allowing it to disrupt my work.

To be fair he had some pretty odd things to ask me, but I find that when I get into my work I can't just switch to the other person's problem. I have to stop for a second, think of what I am being asked, answer or explain, then get back to where I was with my own customer.

I think with all the back and forth and the fact that I had to have him repeat himself, plus he would turn his back to look at his own computer and I couldn't hear him clearly, I just plain forgot to give the money.

This happened last Wednesday. I was in Saturday and the boss was walking around behind me with his clipboard. Way to make me nervous guy!!

I am not sure what he was doing but I was half way expecting the old "So and So" wants to see you.  I hate walking over to that office.

You already feel bad enough about making a mistake, and letting yourself down. Why do I have to be reprimanded about it? That is why it is called a mistake!! If I'd known I was doing it then it would be called an "on purpose".

I am going in this afternoon, and will probably be 'counseled' today. I would prefer to just say "Look, I know I made a mistake. I was being yapped at by another cashier and it distracted me. I had a little trouble getting back to my own mind set. Can I go back to work now?"

We'll see.

Talk about a FULL service grocery store ! ! ! ! !

So.

As is typical, the day I am NOT there something really weird happens.

It was later in the evening and it involved one of our head cashiers. She was busy working away on a register when this sketchy looking guy comes through. He had very intense looking eyes and made her nervous right off the bat. He doesn't have any groceries but he is REALLY looking at her. Now, she is very attractive but he didn't seem to be looking at her in that way.

Then he says:

"I'm homeless."

She says that she's very sorry but at this time of the night there is nothing she can do to help. He can't really stay in the store. Then she says she doesn't have the authority to give him any food and the hot foods counter is closed down already or she would buy him something.

He says:

"You're not listening to me. I'm homeless."

Now she says, well we don't have any money. It is all in the safe and I can't get to it.

He says: "That's not what I meant."

Now she begins to suspect the worst. She is very pretty. She is basically alone in the store as it is down to a skeleton staff for overnight and they are still upstairs getting ready for their shift.

So she says: "Well, I'm not here by myself. There are other people here."

Then he says:

"I want to turn myself in!"

She is not sure at first what he means by this.

As he grabs her around the fore arm, he says, almost right in her face, and very seriously:

"You're not listening to me. I want to turn myself in!"

Taken aback, she sort of stumbles a bit and says "oh, OH!!
Well, you wait here and I'll go take care of that."

She gets the stand-in manager for the evening and tells him. They call the police, go to look for him and at first they think he has left. As they get to the front of the store again, they see he is sitting very patiently on the bags of rock salt at the front window, waiting quietly.

Within minutes, three police cruisers arrive and they take him away. Unfortunately, we don't know what his problem was or whether he was unbalanced, or really wanted, or any number of other things that cross your mind as you regain your composure.

* * * * *

Then not three days later, just as I am signing my audit slip at the front service desk, I spot this guy walking around by our salad bar. INSTANTLY, the 'nutbar' alarm goes off and I start to watch him. He sees me and says 'hi" and has this big goofy grin on his face.

I mention it to my head cashier, who happened to be the same young lady as in the previous incident. We are both watching now and he looks over, again, and walks towards us. He asks if, with the salad bar, can you just pick the things you want to eat?

Yes, she says, it is charged by the weight. With that he starts to walk back towards the salad bar and then makes a left turn towards the back of the store. Then he reverses himself, says he needs something to carry the salad in and goes to get a basket (?) at the front of the store.

We think he is leaving as he gets near the door, but no he comes back and heads towards the back of the store. HC calls for the manager in charge and tells him, and they alert everyone (meaning floor staff) to keep an eye on this guy.

I had to go punch out and when I come back I am walking beside the lady manager of the hot foods counter. Now she tells me that he went by her and said something that she couldn't quite understand and then made some guttural sounds at her. She left because he gave her the creeps, and it was the best thing to do.

Unfortunately, I had to leave for home so I don't know what happened next.

Part of me hopes something happened, even if it is just that he left the store without anything. I'd be disappointed if my 'spidey senses' were OFF. Relieved that nothing happened, but still a little concerned that my radar may have been out of whack.


I should get some news today.

I hope.

HOLY CARP ! ! ! ! !

Walked into the store the other day to get my schedule and a couple of items that were still on sale.

Surprise, surprise!!!

It now costs a quarter to rent one of our buggies. We have had a continuing problem of students (mostly foreign) walking off the lot with our buggies. Great but when you come back the next time you can't bring the damn thing back????!!!!

This has gotten a lot worse since we started charging for bags. The won't give you the 5 cents for a bag, but they feel perfectly fine about walking away with a $100.00 - $200.00 buggy ? ?

You can tell who is going to take off with them, though. For the first few years I never really said or did anything, but now that I am confident, or maybe over confident, about keeping my job I will ask them if they are driving. If they say yes I say "that's good, 'cause I'd hate to see you trying to get this stuff home like that." Now this is assuming that they even answer, because they are notoriously rude about making any conversation. I know you are uncomfortable with the language, but why did you come here to study then? I'm not being rude to you.

If they say no, then I ask them if they are aware that they can't take the buggy off the property. They get this 'deer in the headlights' look and tell me that they weren't going to do that.

Yeah??? Then how come if I am watch you out the front window I see you taking the thing across the road and down to the apartments???

Huh?? Tell me the answer to that one, you buggy thief !

* * * * *

I actually got like this because I really don't like theft. Really, really don't. I stole something as a child because I HAD to have this little, white plastic horse. After I got home, the guilt set in. I didn't enjoy my horse. I couldn't play with him. Whenever I was in that same store I was POSITIVE they were watching me. It scared the bejeebers out of me that they may catch me! ! ! I was sure I would do LIFE ! !

That little horse taught me how bad it is to steal. Probably it was really my conscience, but EVERY single time I looked at my little horse, I felt G U I L T Y.

Anyway, I don't like stealing. It is a horrible thing to do. I once had someone that I thought was a friend, steal a whole collection of miniature collie statues from my house when I wasn't there. It was one of the most impotent moments of my life.

You can't call any one. They're only priceless to me.
You can't confront the thieves, because they have suddenly disappeared from your life.
You can't replace the statues because they were something that is not made any more.
You have lost the enjoyment you had from knowing that you had either bought them all with your own 'little girl' money or your Mom had bought them for you.

And worst of all was the fact that they had all come from an area of my childhood that I hold most dear. It was the spot we went for many summer vacations and stayed in a housekeeping cottage by the Atlantic Ocean.

* * * * *

Back to the buggy story.

Where I think our store made a huge mistake was in not telling the customers, or at the very least putting up a sign, before hand. It was just one day you're getting a buggy for free, the next day you have to have a quarter. The reason this is a big deal is that most of our customers are either parents or grandparents. Parents almost always use a credit or debit card, and grandparents don't have any change because they have taken it out at home for the grandkids ! ! It would have been so much easier to have put up signs saying 'effective such and such we regret that we will have to charge for buggies'.

SSSSSSOOOOOOOO, we have had a fair number of angry customers. We have asked them to fill out a comment card that will go to head office, rather than to tell us. The powers that be will listen to customers before they will ever listen to employees telling them what the customers say.

* * * * *

The problem as I see it, is that 25 cents isn't a lot of money to pay for a buggy to get your groceries home.

Some people are just ornery for the sake of it

I was working one day about a week and a half ago and this man comes up and asks if he could use one of my Purell sheets (disinfectant wash cloths). I had just finished serving a customer and I let him use one. He then asks if I'm going to use one. I said "no" and he asked me why not. I told him I had just washed my hands a few minutes ago. He said "but you touched her money". I told him that it was part of my job.

Then a young man comes and stands behind him. So he tells the kid that the next register is open, why doesn't he go there.

The young man reluctantly moved. He looked at how much stuff there was left to go (maybe three articles) and it was obvious he felt like he was being chased away. I guess the rudeness made him wonder. He had just come to my register because there was someone there and the next one had a light on, but the cashier was elsewhere at the time. (We are supposed to do baskets and fix the shelves and tidy up a little if we have spare time)

Anyway Mr. Clean starts to mumble about people who can't think and people who don't wash their hands.

I said "Just a minute. I find it insulting for you to tell me I don't wash!"
He backtracks, or at least tries to and says "Oh. I didn't mean you."

I said " well, how am I supposed to take it when you're standing in my line saying things like that."

Then he starts to tell me how the hospitals are the worst places, and you watch, you people will all have to wear gloves one day, and doctors should know better. Then he tries to pull a co-worker into it, but she explains to him that all the products on the shelf have been touched by countless people but we do the best we can. We use our wipes after handling meat and vegetables or anything that appears to be dirty.

He didn't like that. He was all miserable looking as I'm packing his bags. I did notice that he didn't bring his own bags, but was happy to take the plastic ones that have been hanging there all morning. I went to hand him the slip and he said "I don't want that." I sort of heard him but the hands were still going for the bag to put the slip in it. He very crossly says "I told you I don't want that." I apologize, throw it out and he leaves.

I determine that I no longer wish to serve him and am hoping to refuse to the next time he's in.

How cool is this ????? !!!!!!

I just found another cashier blog! She has 207 followers ! ! ! !

She has had her blog a shorter time than I have but she has more than 4 times the followers.

I wonder if part of it is the fact that she doesn't pull any punches and seems just a tad more aggressive (?) than I am?

Here's a short, unedited quote:

"And before any of you say "But she's a paying customer too!", I've made it pretty clear before that I don't consider lottery customers real customers. Lottery sucks.

Anyways, for the past few weeks I've noticed that she will wait at the coffee counter until it starts to get busy in the store, and then will race up to the register to play her tickets. She does this every.single.day.

Now, since she's a fellow cashier, I don't want to be a bitch to her, but I can only come to the conclusion that she hates me for some reason. Either that or she reads this blog.

Which means that it will now be war. I may be lazy, but I'm not too lazy to go into her store and take up her precious cashiering time. And I'm sure I can be WAY more obnoxious than she is. I was born to annoy.

I'll first have to find out exactly which store she works at. Once I find that out, it's on. I'll just have to get some supplies together, some of which include a wrench and a midget blow-up doll. "

and another one:

"Every year my father plows some of the customer's driveways when the snow gets really bad. He does this because these people have been customers for years.

I don't understand why people get so pissy about needing their driveway snowplowed. Do it your fucking self. Don't call me at 3am and expect things to get done. And these are the same fucks that come in and cause me problems about the gas prices. They use the line that they "know the owner" thinking that will intimidate me.

I hope next year he quits snowplowing for these assholes. I'm tired of dealing with them."

I'm in love ! ! ! ! Maybe I should start talking like that?

* * * * *

So, do you remember the day I had the lady that was all pi$y because I didn't throw the lady in front of her out of my express line for having nine items? (see post:

YAY, I finally got one ! ! ! ! )

Well........

Thursday I stopped into the store to get my schedule and pick up a few items that were on sale. As I approach the bakery from the back of the store I hear this grating voice and knew instantly who it was. She's up front giving the cashier the business. Seems she had too many items for express and was sent to another line. There were only two cashiers at the time, express and regular.

She is bitching about the fact that she got turned out of the line for having too many. Then.... she sees me. She starts up with "And that's the one that let someone with nine items stay in the line the last time I was here." She says this at her usual annoying, loud voice and in front of several customers who looked at me and rolled their eyes.

I said: (and maybe this was poor judgment on my part, but, I was on my own time.) "Don't start with me."

She gets all pi$y again and starts going on about 'is that any way to talk to a customer?' And 'look at how I'm treated!' And 'I want to talk to the manager.'

Fine by me. (crazy old bat). Doesn't the manager come up and unfortunately I didn't hear what was said. I did end up having to be in the same line, fourth customer back. She starts to address me across the other customers and I just stared at her. When she finally left I talked to the cashier a bit about why she was so ticked.
She is probably going to be another one that I may not serve any more. Its either that or I tell her right off the bat to behave or I'll get her removed from the store.

Apparently, it wasn't okay for me to talk to her the way I did but its okay for her to harass my customers and myself?????????

* * * * *

So should I change up my way of writing or leave the real nasty stuff to "Confessions of a Cashier" ? ? ?

She sort of has the equivalent of a 'spitting in your coffee' attitude.


Next time: Mr Clean Freak

What the €%*+ is your problem???

I really like working in the beginning of the day. But not when a certain co-worker is on. Well, she was there today and it was okay. At first.

If you're one of the first cashiers in, the trays could still be in the office. So you stop at the office and check. I did that this morning and because I'm on audit I knew I had to sign something. I was told to go to 5. Knew that was okay. I stop at customer service to look for the slip to sign, (you sign when you take the tray and when you give it back) and there isn't one there. No biggie, I knew no one else had been on the register. So I start working and everything is good. I run out of customers and because I know they will jump on you if you're not 'busy', I grabbed my cloth and cleaner and started to clean some of the surfaces that don't get done often.

I then get a customer and while I'm doing his order, I notice that co-worker comes out and talks to another (superior to me) co-worker. Next thing I know 2nd co-worker is telling me that when I get done with that customer could I put some of the spices or candies out. (restock shelves) Sure, says I. I got so far as to pick up a box of Tic Tac and get all of three feet when a customer comes up. I serve him and then they just kept coming. The box made it all the way from register 7 to register 6.

I never did get back to it. I know who wanted me to do restock. I guess because I showed initiative and was making myself busy we had to find something else for me to do. WHATever!!

Time passes and its getting close to my break. Now, I like to have my break as far past halfway as I can. It makes the day go faster. They like you to have it halfway through, but I don't remind them unless I am really hurting and need to sit for a while. Or if its a time of the day when we have a few more cashiers in and break times have to be co-ordinated.

As I said I'm not too worried about it and I'm working along with about three items to scan when I hear the printer make a funny sort of noise. It tells me that its out of paper. I look inside and it has almost a full roll. So I reset the roll, close the lid and wait for the sound it makes when its ready. No sound!!??

I try it again and it is making a noise like the head is running back and forth. That's not normal. So I look inside, again, and think maybe its the roll. I tried a brand new roll and it made its happy sound. I thought we were up and running so I continue to scan but keeping an eye on it. Now it is taking a lllllooooonnnnngggg time to process each function. It would scan, then it would print part of the item, then the next part, then the total. These things usually happen within a second for each item. But now its taking more than ten seconds to do each step. I get through the gentleman's order and ask him if he needs his receipt. Thank heaven he says no. I finally get his receipt about two minutes later. I call head cashier and explain the problem, told her I did all the things necessary that should have got it working but that it isn't and its making a noise like I've never heard before.

She comes out and fiddles with it a minute and then tells me to try it again.

I start the next customer and and it is still sick. The printer head is running back and forth, again, for each step that the computer is making. Unfortunately it is not able to do more than one thing at a time. Head cashier told me I'd have to reboot it. I was hoping that it would remember the items if I scanned a few of them in a row. It wouldn't, so I have to do one item, wait, the next item, wait, etc. The lady is being very patient but says to me that she is on her lunch (but she realizes that its not my fault and just has a 'why did this have to happen now' look on her face).

I had already closed down because this wasn't going to be a fast fix. I went to the office and asked head cashier if I should take my break as there is downtime while it reboots. She tells me to move to number three for now, until the other cashier's break is done and they'll try to fix it. Other cashier says she'll be done in a few minutes. Fine by me; the more time that goes by before break is less time to work after.

Sure enough, get through a few customers and its break time. YAY ! ! ! ! !

Come back and its still not a happy computer even after a reboot. I get to stay on three and I'm working away having a good time with customers as always. Get to a blank spot for maybe five seconds, and then I see a customer at the entrance to my register. Suddenly, I am paged to pick up the white phone (like the bat phone but not as adventurous). I do so and I am told that "if I don't have a customer, can I do something?"

I said "I have a customer right now!!!!"

"well . . . . . . keep busy."

$)*^%^*)*&%$#%*)@_(#&%@(@_!@(*!#

Which is what lead to the title of this entry.

Something I forgot

This is a continuation of 'Full Moon last week???? Don't THINK so!'

When I was writing it I knew there was something I was forgetting.

This is from that blog:

"I end up sending the customer off with head cashier to do all the math again, with a calculator and see what is going on. Mainly it was to make sure the man got the correct bill. I move on to the next customer and every thing is fine for a the rest of the shift. Few odd people, but they are there all the time anyway."

That's actually wrong. The customer after the '2 for 1' guy was okay, but the next one was a wingnut AKA the crazy collie lady. Now mind you the dog is in beautiful condition and she hardly ever forgets to take him home with her. But she is a weird customer. She once came to the store on a very hot day and tied the dog up outside, in the shade, but still he shouldn't have been brought that far on a day like that. She bought some ice cream and a few other things and left the store.


One of the girls came in and mentioned the collie out front. I said "you're kidding, she left an hour ago! ! ! ! ! !

We were wondering what to do. We gave him water and then waited. She did return later. She said she went to get some ice cream and suddenly realized she left the dog at the store. I don't think she's a bad owner, but someone who is a little forgetful. One of the things she does that really drives me crazy is her way of just asking the weirdest questions. I'll still be dealing with another customer and she is already asking me to compare the prices of two items so she knows which one to get.

Anyway, this day she hears the problem I am having with the 2 for 1 customer, She says in a pretty loud tone "I'd better make sure to check my bill". I ignored her because I was still dealing with the customer in front of her. NOW, its her turn. I ask if she wants bags, she says "no", so I put the stuff on the back for her to bag.

She looks at the register and says " see, you did it again." WTF???!!!! I look and see that it is again something that is a buy one get one deal. I said "I didn't do it, the machine did. "

"Well, you scanned it."

So, what, I held my wrist funny??????


Anyway, we get it sorted out and she is talking about how many times this may have happened in the past. (insert a scream that would be me wringing her neck and her trying to breathe."

After HER, it was an okay shift.