Unfiltered Story #324883

I’m in my local discount supermarket — one of those ones that process you really fast through the checkout and you take your purchases to a shelf and pack them away yourself.

I’ve put all my items in the conveyor belt when suddenly everything stops. Nothing can be paid for, all the card machines have frozen.

After much fluttering around, people’s payments go through, but for the next customers, the same thing happens. Clearly there’s a delay — it’s taking five or six minutes for card transactions to work.

Me and others queuing all do the same: we ask the people behind us if they’re paying cash. If they are, we push our groceries back and let them go first. No point everybody waiting, is there?

After three or four people behind me have gone in front and paid cash, I ask the next person how she’s paying.

Customer: Cash.

Me: Oh, I’m card and the machines aren’t working, so go in front of me.

Customer: No.

Me: Okay, but there’ll be a wait as I’m paying by card and the machines aren’t working.

Customer: Huh! Whatever!

My purchases go through, I put my card in the machine and… we wait for something to happen.

Customer: GOD! WHAT’S TAKING SO LONG??

Cashier: As this gentleman explained, the card machines are running really slow…

Customer: Oh, HIM. “Mr Ladies First”! Now he’s making me wait. Sexist a***hole!

Cashier: No, the card machines are going really slow. That’s why he was letting everybody paying cash go in front of him.

Customer: He wanted to look up my skirt! He was all over me! Staring at my boobs! Disgusting pig!

Cashier: The card machines are slow, that’s all.

Customer: He’s a pig! Why you’d help him I don’t know! Have you no pride?

Cashier: I do. So does he, judging from his Pride badge and the rainbow on his T-shirt.

Me: The machine has taken the payment and my husband is waiting in our car, so… whatever.

Customer: THAT’S EVEN WORSE! Pervert! I’m never shopping here again!

She remained at the till, paid for her stuff in cash and left while I was still packing my shopping. I still see her shopping there most weeks.