> A grammar game! I know someone who would love this. But I shouldn't make fun, especially since I want to buy the book it's based upon. UPDATE: I bought the book. I loved it. Go get it now!
It's the Tuesday after the long weekend. It was a busy one. We did more than our share of fairs/festivals/pool parties and consumed more hot dogs/cotton candy and other sweet snacks than I care to think about. But when it's the last weekend of summer you have to do that sort of thing. :)
One more week and my routine will shift toward something a little more normal. Emma starts school on Friday. Speaking of which, I'm over at DotMoms today.
p.s. Happy birthday to my DH!
a
<friday september 3, 2004 - 9:09 a.m>
I was waiting in line at Loblaws when it happened. An elderly couple had purchased a frozen loaf of bread dough and the machine-printed price tag had began to melt, rendering the bar code unscannable – despite the fact that the actual price ($1.49) was still clearly visible.
(I'm going to tell you all, that if this happens to you, there is no point telling the casher to "just key it in." They may have the power, but it's all about the store being able to track their stock, and so clearly, they need to get the exact number that's listed on the bar code. So please don't ask.)
Cashier girl used the tips of her fingers to separate the wet, wrinkled paper as best as she could. She scanned the thing a half-dozen times. Each time she tried she got the only response one could get in this kind of situation and everyone is tired and hungry: the INVALID CODE BEEP.
She tried a few more times while we meekly, wearily, apologetically, looked on.
The potential owner of the bread made some kind of comment, which I didn't catch. She laughed, and said "Just don't say that if there's no price tag then you get it for free. You won't believe how many times I hear that. I'm sick of it."
I heard that a lot too when I was a cashier. And I hate to admit this to an international community, but those horrid words have also escaped my unthinking lips. (THE SHAME!)
But this was the first time I realized that this little cashier joke has become part of our common vernacular... part of our daily speech patterns at suburban dwellers. When did this happen? Who was it that first had this stupid idea and uttered the phrase? It could never actually happen. Have you ever known a store-owner/cashier to give you something for free if there was no price on it?
Will this appear in a phrasebook somewhere near other sayings: "A stitch in time saves nine," or "He who cuts the cheese must pay the piper?" (OK, so maybe not that last one.)
The interesting thing is that the use of this expression is limited to people standing in line at the cash register, specifically when there is no price tag an/or functioning scanner. You couldn't use this line with a hairdresser or the dentist.
It's considered small talk, but with less "har har value" than exclaiming "is it HOT enough for ya!" while you're drenched with sweat and feeling limp and sickly because it's the hottest, most humid day of the year.
Yet the ever polite cashier will usually smile at the joke, inwardly screaming HA - I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT ONE BEFORE, YOU'RE SO SO CLEVER. WHY YES! I WILL GIVE THIS TO YOU FOR FREE! ALONG WITH THIS BOOT TO THE HEAD! and nod and hope to god the frigging scanner kicks in.
Meanwhile, back in the lineup:
The customer told her it was ok, not to worry about it, that he has lots of frozen loaves of bread dough at home and he doesn't actually need it.
Then she did the unthinkable. She gave up. Just like that. Unlike other cashiers faced with this situation, she didn't try to scan it another five times in hopes it would suddenly work, nor did she ring up the bakery or the manager of general produce.
Then she did the unthinkable. She gave up. Just like that. Unlike other cashiers faced with this situation, she didn't try to scan it another five times in hopes it would suddenly work, nor did she ring up the bakery or the manager of general produce.
