Careful, She’s A Back-Belt

I am a checkout clerk in a busy supermarket. It is 2021, so you-know-what is going around and social distancing is being enforced.

I open my register and I call over the customer next in line at the register across from me. She has a full cart and she happily brings it over. A man behind her notices and tries to dash in front, but doesn’t make it as he has more ground to cover. He looks annoyed as he only has a few items, but a queue is a queue.

The man immediately gives the woman customer in front of him dirty looks, and nudges her cart forward in the line (a big no-no even when there isn’t social distancing!) and starts to load HIS items on the end of the belt, before this woman has even had a chance to start unloading hers.

She nudges his cart BACK, and starts unloading her items, talking to me as she’s doing so.

Woman Customer: “I was considering letting him go ahead but forget that!”

He tries pushing her cart further to the front again.

Woman Customer: *To him.* “There is a barrier here for social distancing! I can’t go any further before I can’t unload! Wait!”

She pushes his cart back again and continues unloading, pausing every few minutes to push his food back.

Woman Customer: “Oops might have squished your rolls a bit!”

Male Customer: “You should move!”

He’s full-on gesturing to her and asking why she can’t move up completely disregarding the barrier.

Woman Customer: “Hmm, well, I’ve had these EBT cards I got for my kids sitting in my wallet for ages because they each only have $10 or so and I never feel like taking the time to do multiple transactions.”

She then stares directly at the man.

Woman Customer: “How handy that now I have extra time!”

After all six transactions are done she thanked me for my patience. The next customer was a face of stony silence.

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