Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Happy F*&^ing Holidays

Click here.
Well, it's begun. Today I went to the grocery store to get the Thanksgiving fixings. When I went to check out, I chose the line with the fewest old people in it. (The perils of shopping during a weekday.) I was behind one woman and one man. The woman wanted her free turkey. She had separated her orders so that she would reach the bonus turkey on one and redeem it on the second. It wouldn't come up on the computer so she gets all snippy. She and the cashier had to walk over to the customer service desk to work this out. They return, coupon in hand. Then the cashier rings up the second order. Then the man's--her brother--order. The woman is explaining that they are buying food for some poor people or something. So now I feel bad that I'm all huffy over the gabbing and the turkey coupon procurement and the lack of attention to me. She's almost finished ringing up the guy and she starts on about the cat food they got. Isn't it nice they got cat food for the hungry family's cat? (It was for the woman's dog...yes, I'm as perplexed as you.) So the cashier has to tell them in long and painful detail--well past the amount of time it has taken to ring up, bag up, and cash out all three orders--about the feral cats she used to feed. Of course, my order has been languishing on the conveyor or I would have long ago moved to a different line.

Chatty Cathy and I have to have a conversation, and it turns out to be about how I fucked up the debit card transaction. I hit "no" instead of "yes" to the amount because I had hit no cash and the screen wasn't changing so I hit it again just as it changed over. So I apologize for hitting the wrong thing, and she tells me I wouldn't believe how many people do that and blame her. You know, she's a cashier, I think. I should take some of the bad juju from projecting hate on the people buying food for the poor and turn it into good by smiling and agreeing.

I find the holidays to be difficult because of all the ways that being in with masses of people brings out the worst in me. This is way too early for it to start. 

(The chart is available from Julie Jackson of the Subversive Stitch. You should go buy a chart. Clicking on the link for her store.)

6 comments:

Annie said...

Chill and enjoy your turkey day!

valerie said...

Seriously, I am right there with you. I think I can live with the stuff in the fridge and the pantry because I would rather starve then return to the grocery before Friday. Serenity now! (like from Seinfeld :D)

Chris said...

I worked in retail for way too many years...I now spend Thanksgiving weekend in hiding! And this season is as long as it gets in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. My poor retail friends :(

Arthemise said...

Oh, I think it's the perfect time. The holidays start earlier, so the snippiness must start earlier too. My husband refuses to leave the house from Black Friday through the following Sunday because he doesn't want to deal with people.

barbara said...

I'm another one who did my shopping to hopefully take me right through the weekend - and if we run out before that, we'll just starve. LOL.

Charlene ♥ NC said...

Hope you get to stay in and enjoy the holidays with your friends and family - and avoid the crowds!