# Talked to the cashier today



## HopefulDreamer (Feb 26, 2012)

Most of the time when I buy stuff, I smile at the cashier and that's about it. I just answer yes or no if I want bags, but I don't make conversation unless they try to. However, today I could tell the poor girl was frustrated. She looked to be in her teens, and the cash register was kind of giving her problems. The first two customers in front of me were kind of snippy with her. And I don't know what it was, but I instantly felt bad for her and it seemed to help me feel outgoing. So once it was my turn, I started to have a conversation with her. I found out that she had an hour left of her shift, the cash register was having problems with everyone for the last few days, and she just happened to be stuck with it today. The customers were rude to her all day about it. She'd had a fight with her mom earlier. Overall, just a bad day. And the strange thing was, by my smiling and talking to her it brought a smile to her face and she looked grateful and it felt good to make someone smile like that. It's the first time I can remember in a long time where I started a conversation with someone and I did not feel nervous, anxious or anything. Honestly, walking into a grocery store can make me nervous, and I always feel uncomfortable in line and everything. It was a nice feeling. I'm just hoping her shift ended well enough.


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## Howlett (Aug 29, 2012)

The last time I did that the ***** turned on me the next day and started spreading rumors and lies about me throughout the entire store. All this bull**** because I showed some sympathy and kindness. Some people truly are pathetic scumbags.


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## loneranger (Dec 29, 2012)

Wow, Howlett, I hear ya.


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## Haruhi (Jul 8, 2011)

nice =) and would of made that last hour on shift that bit easier for her i imagine =)


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## identitycrisis (Sep 18, 2011)

I know in the short time I spent cashiering I always appreciated the people who would be respectful when things went wrong or slowly. Kudos to you, you probably brightened her day.


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## HopefulDreamer (Feb 26, 2012)

Yeah I hope so anyway, especially when it's a young person like that. I'd feel bad for anyone in that situation, but something about grown adults snapping at a teen girl got to me more than it would have with a fellow adult.


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## Barette (Jan 17, 2012)

That's awesome, mid20sgirl! I bet that made her feel SO much better after having people be snippy with her. Sometimes a little patience and understanding from another person can make all the difference to someone having a bad day.


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## Timbolin (Oct 27, 2012)

So presumably you felt comfortable around her because socially speaking she is serving you and obviously getting verbally attacked by other customers, i.e. immediate society. Would you have felt so comfortable if she was very popular? or was the manager?

so maybe you ordinarily place yourself in a social bracket where other people are above you



mid20sgirl said:


> Most of the time when I buy stuff, I smile at the cashier and that's about it. I just answer yes or no if I want bags, but I don't make conversation unless they try to. However, today I could tell the poor girl was frustrated. She looked to be in her teens, and the cash register was kind of giving her problems. The first two customers in front of me were kind of snippy with her. And I don't know what it was, but I instantly felt bad for her and it seemed to help me feel outgoing. So once it was my turn, I started to have a conversation with her. I found out that she had an hour left of her shift, the cash register was having problems with everyone for the last few days, and she just happened to be stuck with it today. The customers were rude to her all day about it. She'd had a fight with her mom earlier. Overall, just a bad day. And the strange thing was, by my smiling and talking to her it brought a smile to her face and she looked grateful and it felt good to make someone smile like that. It's the first time I can remember in a long time where I started a conversation with someone and I did not feel nervous, anxious or anything. Honestly, walking into a grocery store can make me nervous, and I always feel uncomfortable in line and everything. It was a nice feeling. I'm just hoping her shift ended well enough.


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## Xanatos32 (Dec 28, 2012)

As a cashier with five years of experience, I can honestly say that .000001% of my customers are shy. Almost all Americans in general are pushy, arrogant, tired, want their booze, want their Pall Mall Red 100s softpacks with a ****ing ribbon tied on it and presented a silver platter.

You people obviously do not exist in my world. Every day I am greeted by the same people. I've learned just about everyone who comes into the store. The town only has about 3,000 people. Not once can I remember a shy person coming up to me. Most everyone is angry, silent, or impatient. Just like those customers in front that give the girl hell, that is normal for me.

"Let me bag my own groceries, don't touch my bread, how come you do not sell organic cheesepuffs, I left my EBT card at home can I leave and go get it right quick, your packs of sugar are hardened, what do you mean I cannot use the same coupon twice." Then there's me saying "You have 13 items, this is express" they are like "WTF why don't you have more cashiers, I'm staying here..." 

Then you have the old ladies who pay with pennies, the dumbasses who do not know you cannot buy alcohol on Sundays, people grazing in the store..."oh here you go, this is the banana peel of the banana I just ate"...thank you jackass, guess what bananas are sold by weight. Did I mention that we sell more alcohol than anything else. Jesus ****ing H Christ DO YOU NEED 7 CASES OF YAGER! and then they have the ****ing nerve to avoid the bold signs that say you cannot buy individual bottles of assorted beers...you mix and match them in a six pack. But NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooo, no one knows how to ****ing read. Did I mention about the lady who buys $800 dollars worth of groceries on EBT, is about 200 lbs overweight and smells like she hasn't bathed in years? Actually there are about five or six of those similar type people. I have to give my nostrils a ****ing sponge bath after dealing with them. How about that jackass who walked right through the spilled milk with the floor cone telling him to go around? What about the jackass who walked into the store with muddy feet after we just mopped? What about all the dirty *** people who leave trash everywhere? Seriously, we are not a ****ing garbage dump, but at the end of the day you'd think we were. 

And let's not even talk about women and their five children all with the cold/flu sneezing and touching every ****ing apple on display. I've had people sneeze in my face or in their hands and then hand me their car keys to scan right after. ****ing shy people don't exist in my store. 

And don't get me started with lazy as **** co-workers who think that is ok to text, drink a Mt. Dew, and hide in the break room or need a ****ing cigarrette break every 20 minutes. Oh the ****ing agony...I cannot live without a smoke. That **** costs 10 dollars a ****ing pack. I can buy 3 gallons of gas with that. Hope you all ****ing die of COPD. 

So yeah, everyday is a bad day as a cashier. I bet you did make her smile because you are the ONLY person who doesn't treat her like a ****ing piece of trash that 99.9% of Americans do in the store. No respect, no sympathy, no patience, lack of a brain, and just utter incompetence. I really don't know how this country functions to be honest. 

Shy people at the grocery store, what a joke. Stop lying. I'm a shy person; guess how often I shop at the grocery store? Almost never. Buy stuff online or go through a drive through. The less social interaction I have the better. People are just *******s with zero patience. And if you think I'm being rude and ugly here, haha, I'm the nicest person that ever goes through the line.

Word of advice, don't ever work customer service. 

I never knew anyone was shy or anxious until I visited online websites. Fear of the grocery store - yeah, but you fear it for the wrong reasons. More like a giant petri dish of germ infested, unbathed, alcoholic, and intolerant scum of the Earth. If I had my way there be a ****ing HAZMAT prescreening area and an IQ/Breathalyzer test prior to entering the store. Oh, and someone to verify you brought your money, your discount card, your keys, your windows are rolled down for your seventeen pit bulls in your hatchback, your T-shirt is long enough to cover your stomach and no you cannot have a ****ing yard sale in the parking lot.

End Rant.


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## SilentLyric (Aug 20, 2012)

I wasn't able to talk to my cashier today. This was quite the accomplishment! Even better that you were able to make her day!


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## monotonous (Feb 1, 2013)

i always avoid going to the counter with a cashier i find attractive


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## starburst (Feb 5, 2013)

Its a nice feeling to help somebody

You made somebody's day!


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## HopefulDreamer (Feb 26, 2012)

Xanatos32 said:


> As a cashier with five years of experience, I can honestly say that .000001% of my customers are shy. Almost all Americans in general are pushy, arrogant, tired, want their booze, want their Pall Mall Red 100s softpacks with a ****ing ribbon tied on it and presented a silver platter.
> 
> You people obviously do not exist in my world. Every day I am greeted by the same people. I've learned just about everyone who comes into the store. The town only has about 3,000 people. Not once can I remember a shy person coming up to me. Most everyone is angry, silent, or impatient. Just like those customers in front that give the girl hell, that is normal for me.
> 
> ...


Apology for the over reaction.


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## da kewliest (Jan 22, 2013)

good for you, congratulations on making someone's day better


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## Xanatos32 (Dec 28, 2012)

mid20sgirl said:


> You don't know ****ing ****anything about me you ****ing *******. How could you possible know if I am ****ing shy or not? Why the hell would I lie about being shy? I am on a social anxiety site. And I have worked customer service. I worked in it four years ago, and it was the worst experience of my life. I worked at Tim Hortons, and I had to deal with people early in the morning who were all rammy about getting their coffee. I once had someone whip their bagel at me because that was back when they didn't have the debit machines. It was either credit cards, Tim cards, or cash. So how the **** can you say that I ahve never worked customer service?
> 
> Oh but because you experience shyness a certain way and do things a certain way anyone else who doesn't do it that way can't be. Since you have never ever had a shy customer that can't possibly mean that no shy person has ever gone shopping, or gone anywhere. I guess no one in schools are ever shy because YOU have never met them. All you expereinces are right but no one elses are because YOU CAN ONLY BE THE RIGHT ****ING PERSON THE WORLD!
> 
> ...


It wasn't an attack on you. It's just that I'VE NEVER ****ING MET ANOTHER SHY PERSON IN MY TOWN. I've only ever met them online.

You are right though, customer service is the pit of the earth. There is so much turnover at my job, that I can make a list of 100 people that no longer work there after only three years!

Still, shy people just do not exist in my town. They are all arrogant and cocky pieces of garbage. No wonder I've never had any friends with people in this town. I was excluded every ****ing day of my life in school. They ignored me for weeks. I wasn't a local. I wasn't a 5th generation inbred hick.

Wish I lived in New York or some place with real people with different interests and worldly interests than the same five things. Nascar, booze, cigarettes, hunting, and mudding.

I had to join websites like this to even find anyone who relates to me. I'm ****ing pissed off all the time because I'm alone in an A-personality extroverted thug/*******/douche-bag culture.

I'm not your enemy. It's those pain in the *** customers night after night who expect to be served like kings and queens.

You have to take a lot of **** in customer service. Everyone is trying to get away with free stuff or accuse you of not doing your job or they're gonna sue you for stubbing their toes on an invisible object.

I DISTINCTLY remember the other night checking out three people. A lady jumps ahead of the line when I'm not looking. She hands me two things of coffee; I figured she was adding to the items already on the belt. This ******* behind her then gets all huff and puff saying that's his stuff and slams down the stuff and says just let it go the edge. You know what buddy? I don't have eyes in the back of my head. I'm sorry I cannot mulitask 900 things at once. I'm pretty good, but these people are so damn selfish and inconsiderate of each other and me. They act as though it's my fault anything goes wrong and they turn it into the biggest crisis since 9/11.

OMG! I scanned your item and it wasn't hers! Let's get the manager down here and have a screaming match.

You know what I think. Let's have self checkout for these jerks. But....do they use them....no because they cannot read, cannot figure out how to scan stuff, and would rather blame me for their own incompetence than learn how to do something themselves.

Everyday I become less SA and less shy; it gets replaced with anger and frustration. I'm tired of being ignored and **** on by the world. Tired of the crap. I used to put up with the crap, but I don't anymore.

I'm nice to others if they are nice. I've yet to meet any of these nice people. Yeah, the old lady who pays with pennies or the old man on the verge of Alzheimer's....that's two out of 3,000.

Today I watched a mother let her child sit there and SCREAM!! the whole way through the store. What happened to holding your child? Have the father take him outside. Nope, she just stands there like, "Duhhh, do you hear something." What is wrong with people today?

My post was not against you. You are right I don't know anything about you. You are not my target. FFS. My post is against all the jerks I deal with every single day! The very people who have no understanding of what shy/introverted/anxious/avoidant people deal with.

It's all about them and how the world can better serve their narcissism.


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## Luvere (Dec 11, 2012)

Ooh this should be good. opcorn


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## Lute (Feb 9, 2013)

OP, Xanatos' post did not look like an attack on you but I agree that customer service can bring out the worst in anyone.


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## starburst (Feb 5, 2013)

mid20sgirl said:


> Honestly, I am really ****ing pissed off right now.


@mid20sgirl : 
Your original post was very important - what you described in one of the fundamental things that makes life tick - that is connection - your post is genuinely positive, and don't let anybody else's frustration let you think otherwise. Xanatos is not getting at you at all - it is just an expression on frustration with his job - please don't take offence, he doesn't mean it I don't think. I equally am the type of person who takes offence all to easily, and I try hard not to fall into this trap.



Xanatos32 said:


> What is wrong with people today?


@Xanatos :
I have a lot of sympathy for the frustrations you experience in your job and small town - I can imagine what it must be like. I similarly do not feel I am really in tune with my environment, and I can be very critical of my society also. And I can certainly rant just as well as you can, and have had a few unpleasant exchanges. Its unfortunate you get taken the wrong way and fall out with someone, when in fact what you really want is the opposite - to make some friends. I hope you two can overcome this as its sad to see people on a forum like this fighting with each other.

To take my mind off my environment I like to read, study, listen to and play music, and watch films etc - you need to not think along negative lines too much as it can make you ill. On a thread on this forum I found some music artists who I'd never listened to before and thought they were brilliant.


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## Rixy (Oct 4, 2009)

So....how 'bout them Knicks?


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## HopefulDreamer (Feb 26, 2012)

Xanatos32 said:


> It wasn't an attack on you. It's just that I'VE NEVER ****ING MET ANOTHER SHY PERSON IN MY TOWN. I've only ever met them online.
> 
> You are right though, customer service is the pit of the earth. There is so much turnover at my job, that I can make a list of 100 people that no longer work there after only three years!
> 
> ...


Well I apologize then. I'm overly sensitive about things. Anyone who knows me can tell you that. Someone that I care about who glares at me can almost have me in tears. It's just when I saw these parts:



> Shy people at the grocery store, what a joke. Stop lying. I'm a shy person; guess how often I shop at the grocery store? Almost never. Buy stuff online or go through a drive through. The less social interaction I have the better. People are just *******s with zero patience. And if you think I'm being rude and ugly here, haha, I'm the nicest person that ever goes through the line.





> I never knew anyone was shy or anxious until I visited online websites. Fear of the grocery store - yeah, but you fear it for the wrong reasons.


I've read over my post and it looks like an over reaction, but it honestly did make me think you were attacking and I got angry when I saw those parts. I'd had a bad day at work, and then I come home and log on these forums which are kind of comfort to me and I click on my topic because I saw there were more posts in it since I'd last checked and I saw your post. This was the _first time_ I have ever posted in this part of the forum because it's a first for me to be able to post a positive triumph. And as soon as I saw what looked like an attack after having a bad day already my first thoughts were: "**** this then." But I'm glad I couldn't stay away from here. Although it's more that this site just shows up when I open a new tab on my browser. Whenever I open a new browser there are nine small windows that come up with websites I visit the most, and this one is in the third. And I clicked on it.

Too bad you don't live in Canada. They just eliminated the penny here because it's too expensive to make so now as of last Monday it's out of circulation. Although of course people will try to pay for things with nickles, dimes or quarters I guess.

But yes, there are a lot piece of **** customers out of there and I try hard not to be one of them. I've been in customer service, but even if I hadn't I still wouldn't. Most of the time I give a quick smile at the cashier and then just pay for items. Sometimes I'll say "I hope you have good morning/day/night." if I remember. Other then that though, I'm too nervous to talk to them or anyone else for that matter.


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## visualkeirockstar (Aug 5, 2012)

I talked to my goldfish today.


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## Xanatos32 (Dec 28, 2012)

I witness people go through my line who do not talk. 99% of them are men. God forbid I get them to talk because it's like stepping on a sleeping lion's tail. I think these are the guys who are on booze autopilot.

They don't care that I asked how they are. The only pay in 20s or exact change. They don't want a receipt. They don't need a bag for the case of beer.

I'm on the other end of this ---> http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/264/241/9e9.gif


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## starburst (Feb 5, 2013)

Xanatos32 said:


> I'm on the other end of this ---> http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/264/241/9e9.gif


Ho ho! Good cartoon! I can certainly sympathize with that.

The other week I went into a supermarket feeling *extremely* low and stressed, couldn't look anyone in the eye, and expected the *WORST OF THE WORST* from the cashier. I almost felt tearful, a grown man, I was so down.

But to my enormous surprise the cashier spoke cheerfully to me and had a joke with me - from paranoia I immediately really felt a lot better. It renewed my faith in the human race, and it made my day, and I cheered up because of that small incident.

Had I got treated judgementally or had a cashier more interested in snickering with the adjacent cashier I think I would've felt like jumping off the bridge.

I suppose the moral of my story is little things can make a difference.


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## SVIIC (Apr 15, 2005)

monotonous said:


> i always avoid going to the counter with a cashier i find attractive


That sounds about right. Damned irony :roll.

Guess that means we SHOULD do something like that on purpose though.

But we'll start to think that somehow they KNOW we find them attractive, and so does everyone else around us!

Also, I find your avatar seems to make quite mundane things rather funny. I suppose it's because Ron Burgundy in that state pretty much depicts most of our comically failed lives rather perfectly :teeth.


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## MarjoleinL (Feb 15, 2013)

That is so great! And it is really nice of you.  I work as a cashier, and sometimes, people can be so rude! I would be so happy if some one would do that for me. And I'm sure she really appreciated it.


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## IdontMind (Dec 31, 2011)

Good for you, I love those moments too. Most of the time they only happen when you don't have time to 'prepare' yourself, boost your anxiety, it's like you're actually in tune with life for a few minutes. 

Probably what most normal people experience, but that may not be the case as well.


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## Xanatos32 (Dec 28, 2012)

Yesterday was the worst! You'd think Valentines Day would be a day for lovers. More like a date for everyone to bring out the worst. We had domestic disputes in the parking lot. Cops were called. 

I read online that most divorces happen today! Way to go Hallmark!


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## Shylock holmes (Feb 16, 2013)

I used to work for ASDA and I can tell you that people like you were the reason I came to work. I used to get treated like muck by every customer even though I was friendly and tried my best to make their shopping experience as good as I could, which isn't easy when your shy. I always remember the people who come up and help you relax, put a smile on your face and stop you looking at your watch every 5 minutes.

Well done, you made her day, you would have made mine!


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## Soundboy (Feb 16, 2013)

Well done


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## kuhan1923 (Oct 28, 2012)

I work as a cashier @ a liquor store, it's a lot of fun when im alone because my customers are actually pretty cool. But when my boss or co-worker are there keeping an eye on me, it's depressing and like hell.

Good job on making someone smile btw, we need more people like you in this world imo.


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## SVIIC (Apr 15, 2005)

IdontMind said:


> Good for you, I love those moments too. Most of the time they only happen when you don't have time to 'prepare' yourself, boost your anxiety, it's like you're actually in tune with life for a few minutes.


Mhm... it's just like if you have to go to the doctor or make a presentation or some such; it's so much easier if you just walk in and have to go right away, or you're not quite ready and it takes you by surprise. You have no time to think and worry and settle yourself and "prepare". It all flows much more naturally.


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## Craig788 (Apr 16, 2012)

thats fantastic, well done

it may seem small but you have no idea how you touched that persons life today

and you had your own triumph, brilliant, good for you


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## Donnie in the Dark (Mar 15, 2011)

monotonous said:


> i always avoid going to the counter with a cashier i find attractive


 Haha me too, I look around, hoping to be able to go to another...... pretty girls are the bane of my life but I love them!


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## ev29 (Feb 12, 2013)

mid20sgirl said:


> Most of the time when I buy stuff, I smile at the cashier and that's about it. I just answer yes or no if I want bags, but I don't make conversation unless they try to. However, today I could tell the poor girl was frustrated. She looked to be in her teens, and the cash register was kind of giving her problems. The first two customers in front of me were kind of snippy with her. And I don't know what it was, but I instantly felt bad for her and it seemed to help me feel outgoing. So once it was my turn, I started to have a conversation with her. I found out that she had an hour left of her shift, the cash register was having problems with everyone for the last few days, and she just happened to be stuck with it today. The customers were rude to her all day about it. She'd had a fight with her mom earlier. Overall, just a bad day. And the strange thing was, by my smiling and talking to her it brought a smile to her face and she looked grateful and it felt good to make someone smile like that. It's the first time I can remember in a long time where I started a conversation with someone and I did not feel nervous, anxious or anything. Honestly, walking into a grocery store can make me nervous, and I always feel uncomfortable in line and everything. It was a nice feeling. I'm just hoping her shift ended well enough.


That is so awesome! I'm just starting a job as a cashier and I suck at it.. some people are really nice and others are terrible. The few that are patient with you really make it easier.


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