I went to the grocery store at about 1:30 p.m. to have some peace and quiet while I shopped. All the mothers' of young children were at home with said young children and all the working people who had stopped by to grab a few things for lunch were already back at work. There was only me, lots of seniors and this one mother-adult daughter combo who apparently, despite the strange hour, were in line to pay for what looked to me like some pointless grocery items (yes, I checked their cart).
My favorite cashier, Malka, was running their non-essential items through the scanner when she was called away for a mili-second by the cashier at the next register. Apparently cashier no. 2 could not get a reading on what looked like leeks. Malka kindly took the item, scanned them and returned them to cashier no. 2.
How long did this whole exchange take? Maybe two minutes. Maybe. Probably not that long.
I like Malka for many reasons. First and foremost, she speaks very good English which was important to me 10 years ago when I first started frequenting this grocery store. Second, she always tells me when there is a better price or sale that I missed. Third, she does not try to force me to buy the specials that I do not want or need. Fourth, she likes to have a little chitchat and discuss family life. Fifth, she reminds me of what I think Mortitia of the Addams Family could look like at 65 if she did not take care of herself. Sixth, she is just a nice person, plain and simple.... (who looks like Mortitia after a night of serious drinking on the wrong side of the tracks).
Apparently the woman trying to finish her shopping with her equally unpleasant adult daughter did not appreciate all the good things about Malka or the fact that she was helping a co-worker. This is how the conversation went from there (imagine it in Hebrew and assume that what I am describing is close to accurate).
Unpleasant customer: Hello. Hello. I am standing here. Why aren't you scanning my groceries?
Malka: I'm sorry, I needed a moment to help the cashier (nodding to cashier no. 2 at the next register).
Unpleasant customer: You can't help her; you are supposed to be here.
Malka: Yes, but she needed some help and I had to help her -- and you just had to wait a second.
Unpleasant customer: I don't care what she needs.
Malka: That's a shame.
After that, everyone had aired their grievances and gone back to what they were doing prior to the incident. And that is when IT happened.
The groceries were all bagged and ready to go. The unpleasant customer took out her wallet to pay and handed Malka several bills. Malka said: "No, this register only takes credit cards."
The unpleasant customer flipped out and started screaming: "How was I supposed to know that???"
Malka calmly pointed to the huge, unavoidable black and white sign hanging over her aisle that said: Credit Cards Only. Two points for Malka.
The unpleasant lady then said: "What am I supposed to do with all these groceries?"
Malka shrugged and pointed to another register.
The now totally disgruntled unpleasant customer dragged all her bags of groceries somewhere. I didn't bother to watch because I was pretty much exhausted from trying to hold in my guffaws of laughter.
As Malka started scanning my groceries, she looked up and she said in English: "Some people have no decency." I leaned in to tell her my theory about the Hand of God, and just then she said: "You know I am not a religious person but sometimes you just can't ignore the idea that there must be someone up there looking out for people like me."
I couldn't agree more.
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