Requeue Not Required

(My girlfriend and I just arrived at our hometown’s main station after visiting her family for the weekend. We’re both a bit worn out, yet decide to head to the drug store at the station, as they’re the only one open today. We look around for a bit and some old woman occasionally runs into us and gives us dirty looks. She also complains to some poor employee that the store is too crowded and that they should really “take care who they let in.” Once we’re done picking stuff out, we head over to the registers. Although there are three registers open, the line is quite long. After about three minutes of waiting, the old woman queues up behind us and immediately starts mumbling about poor service, bad organisation, and so on. My girlfriend turns around to say something but decides to stop and whisper to me after seeing one of the woman’s items.)

Girlfriend: “Hey, I didn’t know they carried [Shampoo Brand] here. As we’ll be waiting a little, could you go look for it?”

Me: “Yeah, sure.” *heads off*

(The woman immediately starts talking about how we aren’t allowed to split up and we’ll have to requeue once we got everything, but I don’t think anything of it and leave. I find the shampoo and just below it there’s a little compartment attached to the shelf, which contains coupons for “50% off for any [Shampoo Brand] item,” so I take it. When I come back, my girlfriend is almost at the registers and one of the store clerks waves us over.)

Woman: *behind us* “They can’t go first; they’ll need to requeue. I have done all my shopping before queueing and it’s just unfair that they get to pay before me. I have important things to do!”

(It’s Sunday at 7:30 pm.)

Cashier: “Maybe they just forgot something. We’ll be done here soon, anyway, so please wait your turn.”

Woman: *starts ranting and swearing*

(We put our stuff on the counter and the cashier scans it. Once the [Shampoo Brand] is scanned, I tell her I have a coupon.)

Woman: “Where did you get that coupon? I’m signed up for all coupon programs [Store] offers, but I didn’t get one. You need to give it to me!”

Cashier: “Oh, they’re part of a new system where we place them right below the merchandise in little compartments on the shelf, so you can take them while shopping.”

Woman: “Great. Now you go get them for me; I’ll wait here and pay then.”

Cashier: *a bit taken aback* “I’m sorry, ma’am, I can’t do that for you. I’m at the register right now and I’ll be here all night, so you’ll have to get them yourself.”

Woman: “FINE!” *stomps off*

(We pay and try to sort our packing, which isn’t that easy because of our other luggage, so we’re still there when the woman returns.)

Woman: *runs straight to the register we were at* “Here I am. Scan my stuff now!”

Customer Behind Her: *who has heard everything* “Hey, lady, it’s my turn now.” *now in a mocking tone* “You can go requeue, as I’ve done all my shopping before queueing.”

(Everybody except the woman laughed, and the woman stammered something and left without buying anything.)