Selective Hearing Gets Selective Service

I walk up to a cash register at the local convenience store, and into the middle of a conversation between the cashier and the customer being served.

Cashier: “You’re not listening to me, sir. I’m trying to help you, but if you don’t listen to me, I’ll have to help the next customer.”

Customer: “I’m not listening to you because you’re not telling me what I want to hear!”

Cashier: *Looks to me.* “Let me get you checked out at the other register.”

We move over to the second unmanned register, and I pay for my few things while the original customer suddenly realizes what’s happening.

Customer: “Hey! You weren’t supposed to do that!”

Cashier: *To the customer.* “Hey, if I can’t tell you what you don’t want to hear, then I’ll do what you don’t want me to do.” *To me.* “Have a better day than I am, bud!”