Special Snowflake Stories

[PeterM]

All in all, it too more than 15 minutes for an order of less than a dozen items.  It must have taken them over 45 minutes to do their whole order, since they were mostly done by the time I got behind them. 

I've encountered this sort of sloth-like pace at a self-check myself. A woman with a cart filled with several dozen small items, far more than you're asked to bring through the self-check. She would pull an item out of the cart, stare at it, scan it, and put it back into the cart. The staff had apparently disabled whatever it is that makes you place your items in the bagging area. How this woman kept track of what she'd already scanned, I do not know. She was taking long enough about it that I'm willing to believe she was extra careful, though.

I just ignored her, but someone else in the line asked the staff member overseeing the self-checks why she was allowed to break the rules. I can't remember the exact answer, but it boiled down to "It's just easier this way," said with the bleak tone and thousand-yard stare of a retail worker who has been there and done that and just wants to get through her shift with her soul intact. I've been there myself, so I'm not going to judge.

[thedudeabides]

I ran into the grocery store to pick up a few things this afternoon on my way home from work.  All the lines were fairly backed up, so I hopped in what looked like the shortest express line: One woman was getting her change and two men were in front of me with just a few items in their cart.  Score!

Except that the woman walked away and the two men just stood there, cart still full of groceries, blocking the lane and talking.  Since I couldn't get around them, I asked if they were planning on checking out.  Oh, yeah, they were.  So they mosey into the lane, still talking.  Then it dawns on one of them that he should probably start unloading the cart, so he does, still talking.  I push my cart up behind them and wait to start getting my groceries out until they get out of the way, except they just keep talking until the order is almost entirely rung up, at which point the second guy says goodbye to the first and wants out of the lane, so I have to back up and let him out.  I couldn't even start getting my groceries out until the guy had finished paying.

Express lane, my right foot.

[snowdragon]

I went to Forest Lawn Cemetery to see if  I could find some gravestones to take pictures of for a project, I was in the Veteran's Section when I saw a person crossing the street with a bag.didn't thing too much of it until they got to the fence and tossed it over. In.to.the.cemetery. my sister and I both yelled and person just walked away.

   So sad that someone has that little respect as to walk across the street to toss their garbage on the graves of heros.

[gramma dishes]

I went to Forest Lawn Cemetery to see if  I could find some gravestones to take pictures of for a project, I was in the Veteran's Section when I saw a person crossing the street with a bag.didn't thing too much of it until they got to the fence and tossed it over. In.to.the.cemetery. my sister and I both yelled and person just walked away.

   So sad that someone has that little respect as to walk across the street to toss their garbage on the graves of heros.

Since you had a camera with you, why didn't you take a picture of the trash hurler?  Maybe your local paper would have run it on the front page on Veteran's Day.

[snowdragon]

I went to Forest Lawn Cemetery to see if  I could find some gravestones to take pictures of for a project, I was in the Veteran's Section when I saw a person crossing the street with a bag.didn't thing too much of it until they got to the fence and tossed it over. In.to.the.cemetery. my sister and I both yelled and person just walked away.

   So sad that someone has that little respect as to walk across the street to toss their garbage on the graves of heros.

Since you had a camera with you, why didn't you take a picture of the trash hurler?  Maybe your local paper would have run it on the front page on Veteran's Day.

  We were more concerned with getting there to pick up the mess- we did not want the graves desecrated any longer than necessary.  It's a good thing  I carry latex gloves with me.

[mmswm]

Thursday night I had to go to Walmart.  Now, the nearest Walmart to me is a bit of a drive (25 minutes, give or take 5), so I decided to stop by the bathroom before I left.  When I got into the bathroom, there was a woman there with three little girls.  The little one was in a stroller.  All three regular stalls were open and the handicap stall was in use.  The oldest girl goes into one of the regular stall.  The woman with the stroller just stood there with the baby and the middle child.  I waited for a bit and then asked "Ma'am?  Are you in line?"  She ignored me.  I asked again, "Excuse me ma'am, but are you in line"?  There were two open stalls and I had to pee, but I tried again a little bit louder, since I know what it's like to have three fairly small kids.  It's super easy to just get zoned out.  She still didn't respond.  Now, but this time, it had been about two minutes, which is a long time to wait with two empty stalls.  I assumed at this point that she was either waiting for the handicap stall in order to bring the stroller in and help the middle child, or she was just waiting on the older child, who apparently had a tummy ache. 

So, I started to walk past her to go into one of the empty stalls. At this point she starts screaming at me, saying something to the effect of how dare you, what makes you think that you can go before us, and so on and so forth. I replied quite calmly that I'd tried asking her three times over the previous two minutes if she was in line, but she ignored me.  There were two open stalls and I had to go pee.  She started screaming and cursing at me.  I motioned to the empty stalls, and she still didn't go in, just kept screaming about how I must be racist and yadda, yadda, yadda.  Whatever.  I went to an empty stall and ignored her.  When I left she was still screaming at me, and she still hadn't gone into the other empty stall.

[Minmom3]

Saw this on Gawker: How to Be the Most Helpful Slave You Can Be for Me and My Baby

I wonder if these people are related to that woman who sent out the incredibly detailed Thanksgiving email, telling each family member what to bring and how to prepare it....     Because I can PROMISE you I'd never in a million years be visiting this new family at home...  It would be a cold day in hell....   

[CrochetFanatic]

Thursday night I had to go to Walmart.  Now, the nearest Walmart to me is a bit of a drive (25 minutes, give or take 5), so I decided to stop by the bathroom before I left.  When I got into the bathroom, there was a woman there with three little girls.  The little one was in a stroller.  All three regular stalls were open and the handicap stall was in use.  The oldest girl goes into one of the regular stall.  The woman with the stroller just stood there with the baby and the middle child.  I waited for a bit and then asked "Ma'am?  Are you in line?"  She ignored me.  I asked again, "Excuse me ma'am, but are you in line"?  There were two open stalls and I had to pee, but I tried again a little bit louder, since I know what it's like to have three fairly small kids.  It's super easy to just get zoned out.  She still didn't respond.  Now, but this time, it had been about two minutes, which is a long time to wait with two empty stalls.  I assumed at this point that she was either waiting for the handicap stall in order to bring the stroller in and help the middle child, or she was just waiting on the older child, who apparently had a tummy ache. 

So, I started to walk past her to go into one of the empty stalls. At this point she starts screaming at me, saying something to the effect of how dare you, what makes you think that you can go before us, and so on and so forth. I replied quite calmly that I'd tried asking her three times over the previous two minutes if she was in line, but she ignored me.  There were two open stalls and I had to go pee.  She started screaming and cursing at me.  I motioned to the empty stalls, and she still didn't go in, just kept screaming about how I must be racist and yadda, yadda, yadda.  Whatever.  I went to an empty stall and ignored her.  When I left she was still screaming at me, and she still hadn't gone into the other empty stall.

I believe this falls under the category of "You snooze, you lose".  Plus, she had to have heard you if you repeated yourself that often.  I wonder if she was ignoring you to be passive aggressive, especially since she accused you of being racist, but I don't want to dwell on that subject.

I bought some yarn for a rug today, and I think this SS might have thought I was the one being SS.  A lady was standing kind of close, so I asked her if I was in her way.  She said no, so I continued to stand where I was as I decided what colors I wanted.  I took the last skein of one particular color, and as I was walking away I heard her grumble, "Of course, she would take the last one..."

Well, how was I supposed to know she wanted that particular color?  I had asked if she needed me to move, and she said no.  If she'd said, "Excuse me," and taken the skein before I thought to take it myself, I wouldn't have cared.  I would have just picked a different one.

I just went up and paid for my yarn, pretending I hadn't heard her complain.

[Mental Magpie]

Mental Mother just told me this yesterday.  She was handing out candy for trick-or-treating this year.  The doorbell rang as per usual and Mental Mother opened the door only to find two adults standing there, not in costume.  As she looked them over, it became apparent to her that there was a baby in a sling across the mother's chest.  Mental Mother asked to see the little one in her costume, except that the 1 month old only had a spot of black on her nose.  Yes, a 1 month old.

[BarensMom]

Mental Mother just told me this yesterday.  She was handing out candy for trick-or-treating this year.  The doorbell rang as per usual and Mental Mother opened the door only to find two adults standing there, not in costume.  As she looked them over, it became apparent to her that there was a baby in a sling across the mother's chest.  Mental Mother asked to see the little one in her costume, except that the 1 month old only had a spot of black on her nose.  Yes, a 1 month old.

Evil me would have channeled "Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and gave each of them a rock.

[Elfmama]

I bought some yarn for a rug today, and I think this SS might have thought I was the one being SS.  A lady was standing kind of close, so I asked her if I was in her way.  She said no, so I continued to stand where I was as I decided what colors I wanted.  I took the last skein of one particular color, and as I was walking away I heard her grumble, "Of course, she would take the last one..."

Well, how was I supposed to know she wanted that particular color?  I had asked if she needed me to move, and she said no.  If she'd said, "Excuse me," and taken the skein before I thought to take it myself, I wouldn't have cared.  I would have just picked a different one.

Right.  That's what reasonable people do.  I looked at a piece of hand-dyed fabric at a quilt show once, went off to think about it, and when I went back it was gone.  An SS would have thrown a fit that SHE wanted that fabric and they should have known it and saved it for her. I just scolded myself for snoozing and losing.

[LadyClaire]

I bought some yarn for a rug today, and I think this SS might have thought I was the one being SS.  A lady was standing kind of close, so I asked her if I was in her way.  She said no, so I continued to stand where I was as I decided what colors I wanted.  I took the last skein of one particular color, and as I was walking away I heard her grumble, "Of course, she would take the last one..."

Well, how was I supposed to know she wanted that particular color?  I had asked if she needed me to move, and she said no.  If she'd said, "Excuse me," and taken the skein before I thought to take it myself, I wouldn't have cared.  I would have just picked a different one.

Right.  That's what reasonable people do.  I looked at a piece of hand-dyed fabric at a quilt show once, went off to think about it, and when I went back it was gone.  An SS would have thrown a fit that SHE wanted that fabric and they should have known it and saved it for her. I just scolded myself for snoozing and losing.

Sort of similar..my husband and I went to comic con in Chicago this year. I collect Nightmare Before Christmas stuff, and one vendor had some rare Nightmare collectibles for a very reasonable price. I was just telling the vendor "I'll take those two, please" when a teenager and her mother walked up and got upset that I was buying the things. Apparently the teenager had gone off to find her mother to show her the exact ones I was buying. The mother kept saying "But we love Nightmare Before Christmas!" while the teenager sulked and said "I was going to buy those!" in a really snotty tone of voice.

I just shrugged and said "Yeah, it's one of my favorite movies, too", paid, and walked away while they stood there and fumed and complained to each other about me. I wasn't going to hand over the collectibles just because they wanted them, too..when I'd arrived at the vendor's booth there was no one else around looking at the Nightmare stuff. Most vendors will happily hold things for a little while if you ask them to, so the girl could have always had him hold them for her while she went looking for her mother.

[magician5]

Mental Mother just told me this yesterday.  She was handing out candy for trick-or-treating this year.  The doorbell rang as per usual and Mental Mother opened the door only to find two adults standing there, not in costume.  As she looked them over, it became apparent to her that there was a baby in a sling across the mother's chest.  Mental Mother asked to see the little one in her costume, except that the 1 month old only had a spot of black on her nose.  Yes, a 1 month old.

Aw come on ... there's a little "cuteness factor" there! Just a little one.

[Jocelyn]

I bought some yarn for a rug today, and I think this SS might have thought I was the one being SS.  A lady was standing kind of close, so I asked her if I was in her way.  She said no, so I continued to stand where I was as I decided what colors I wanted.  I took the last skein of one particular color, and as I was walking away I heard her grumble, "Of course, she would take the last one..."

Well, how was I supposed to know she wanted that particular color?  I had asked if she needed me to move, and she said no.  If she'd said, "Excuse me," and taken the skein before I thought to take it myself, I wouldn't have cared.  I would have just picked a different one.

Right.  That's what reasonable people do.  I looked at a piece of hand-dyed fabric at a quilt show once, went off to think about it, and when I went back it was gone.  An SS would have thrown a fit that SHE wanted that fabric and they should have known it and saved it for her. I just scolded myself for snoozing and losing.

I was once present at an auction of a former university. There were more than one auctioneer, and they were working in separate rooms (otherwise the noise would be horrendous!). Each room had dozens, if not hundreds, of items to be auctioned, so they were moving slowly from room to room. Their clerks could tell you where the auctioneers were at any given moment, and where each team would head next, so you could go for a break,
One of the items up for sale was a loom. It was disassembled. Several other weavers and I went to the room it was in, as the auction team was approaching, to examine it and decide about bidding. I looked it over, and concluded that since I wasn't sure all the parts were there, and it wasn't a 'famous maker' brand, there was too much of a risk that I'd end up with missing parts that I couldn't buy replacements for. I told the other weavers that I'd decided not to bid for that reason. A couple agreed with me, and one gave me a Mona Lisa smile. I figured more power to her, if she knew how to get that loom into proper weaving condition, so to show that I wasn't just trying to game her, I walked off before the auction team got there.
At least a half-hour later, I was in line to pay for the auctions I'd won, and a woman came racing up. They had to void the sale on the loom! She'd left and they sold it while she wasn't looking! She'd promised her granddaughter that she'd buy that loom for her! The auction clerks told her that once the gavel falls, the sales are final, and the buyer had already paid for it, so there was no chance that she wouldn't pick it up and they'd re-sell it as abandoned. The SS Grandmother continued to shout, as the rest of us in the lines started to snicker.
Seriously, who doesn't know that you have to be there when the item you want is being sold?

[RegionMom]

Did anyone see The Office episode where Dwight thought that a Silent Auction was "whoever guesses the best price match wins the item."?
So he called the stores and got the prices, and "won" every item.  There was little to no follow up on how he paid several thousand dollars, nor what he did with all the items and services...

The grandma could always offer to buy it off the winning bidder for a higher price, or at least give her number in case some parts were missing, and she was willing to pay for shipping and orders and repairs. 

Oh well...

Live auction, who would not realize that you have to be there to bid and win?!?