Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Go!

(I am working as a cashier at a small local grocery store. It is around 6:00 pm, so I am the only cashier open. We tend to have a lot of older people who shop at our store who do not have a lot of money. An older customer is checking out in my lane. I have already scanned the majority of her items; she has about seven items, and her total comes to about $3. I then pick up her third-to-last item to scan.)

Customer: “Oh, stop! I don’t know if I want those.”

Me: “Oh, I am sorry; you don’t want these?”

(I am about to put it behind the counter, for it’s very common for someone not to want an item once they get up to my point.)

Customer: “No, I don’t know if I want to buy them yet, but you can scan my other two items.”

(I do that. The customer has a confused look on her face, as if she is trying to find out if she has enough money to afford the chips.)

Me: “Do you want me to scan the chips for you to tell you how much they are?”

Customer: “No. I know how much they are; I just don’t know if I want them. They are $2.50.” *she then starts pointing and going* “Eenie, meenie, miney, mo. Catch a tiger by his toe. Out goes, Y—” *she pauses* “—O, U. Okay, I’ll get them. Oh, they are $2.50. See? I told you!”