On The Need For Hazard Pay, Part 5

(I’m working in the express lane, when a couple approaches the counter. Their son is about seven years old, and they have him sitting in the child seat of the cart.)

Me: “Hi, how are you today?”

Wife: “Good. Okay honey, help mommy and daddy put the things on the counter.”

Boy: “Okay!”

(The little boy promptly twists around in his seat, and begins to snatch things from the cart. He throws them onto the counter, and across the scanner. I have to chase a package of juice boxes that fly past me, onto the floor.)

Me: “Okay sweetie, try putting them up here gently, okay? We don’t want the groceries to break, right?”

Boy: “Nope!”

(The husband is looking at the candy, and the wife is watching her son and her phone. The little boy then grabs a huge can of yams and throws it at me. It ends up hitting me in the cheek, knocking my glasses off and causing the can to fall to the floor. It makes a noise loud enough to draw the attention of the other customers and cashiers.)

Cashier In The Other Line: “Oh, my God! Are you okay?!”

Me: “Um, well…”

Wife: “Oh! Isn’t he cute?! He wants to play baseball!”

(After picking up my glasses, I can only stare at the woman like she is crazy. Thankfully, a supervisor sees what just happened, and takes over for me so I that I can put some ice on my face. Thankfully nothing is broken, but my cheek was black and blue for weeks!)