Just In The St. Nick Of Time

(It’s five minutes before closing Christmas Eve, and I’m handling the register. A man and woman walk up with a just few bottles of soda, so I wave them in and turn my lane’s light off.)

Me: “Good evening!”

Woman: *to the man* “Get the cart.”

Man: *wanders off*

Me: “So, ready for the holidays, I take it?”

(I finish scanning a two-liter bottle of soda and start to scan the second one; this shouldn’t take much time at all. The woman interrupts me.)

Woman: “There’s more.”

(I am confused, but then see the man return with a large cart used for stocking the shelves. It’s stacked completely full with RACKS of the soda product.)

Man: *points to the giant pile of sodas* “That’s eighty bottles in one, fifty-eight in the other…”

Me: “Okay, then. This might take another minute or two…”

(Note that the store closes at 6 pm. I’m a minor, so I can’t be late clocking out. I therefore scan as quickly as possible and ring up her total.)

Me: “All right, there we are! Your total is [nearly $200].”

(It’s now a minute before closing. I think I’m in the clear, when…)

Woman: “Here’s $100, but let me pay the rest with these!” *hands me stacks of $5 bills*

(I am completely stunned now. Fingers flying, I count out the huge bill, finally finishing right at 6 pm on the dot.)

Me: “Okay… you’re good to go! Hope you have a great holiday!”

Woman: *says absolutely nothing in return and leaves with their huge cartful of sodas*

(Thankfully I got out of there right on time!)