Post Haste!

I work in a busy store that has an online ordering pickup counter.

Customer: “Hey! I need my parcel.”

Me: “Of course, sir. If you take your slip to the pickup cashier in front of the parcel office, they’ll get it for you.”

Customer: “No, no. You’re right here. Just get it for me.”

Me: “I’m not in the parcel office, and I can’t leave my section right now. The cashier will be happy to—”

Customer: *Interrupting.* “I don’t have time to wait in line.”

Me: *Gesturing to the sign on the parcel office door a few feet away.* “That’s why the slip says to take it to the cashier; they’re the only ones who can access it.”

Customer: *Holds up the slip like a winning lottery ticket.* “So you can’t just grab it?”

Me: “No, sir. The cashier will scan it out for you.”

Customer: “But you’re right here!”

Me: “And the parcels aren’t.”

He sighs dramatically, stomps toward the checkout… and ends up standing there for maybe thirty seconds before it’s his turn.

Customer: *Grumbling loudly to the cashier.* “If they didn’t waste my time, I’d be out of here already.”

Me: *Muttering to myself while restocking.* “And if you’d just read the slip, you would’ve been gone five minutes ago.”