Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 12
I’m a cashier for a grocery chain. It’s a Saturday, and it’s crazy busy as always. A family comes through my line with a big order. No problem; I see tons of those. Except, there is a problem. Midway through the order, their little boy, who can’t be more than two, starts whamp, whamp, whamping on the credit card keypad like it’s his own personal LeapFrog toy.
Normally, when a kiddo starts playing with the keys, their parents notice and try to discourage them by wheeling the cart forward out of reach or telling them not to touch it. This mom does nothing.
I try to dissuade the little guy (and Mom) by turning the machine around and saying calmly:
Me: “No, buddy. It’s not a toy.”
Because it’s not. Kiddo, naturally, gets annoyed and starts fussing. He then turns the machine back around and starts playing again. Now, you would think if Mom heard me say, “It’s not a toy,” she’d get the hint and maybe not let her boy continue to mash the buttons like a crazy man.
But Mom, again, does nothing.
This continues not one but TWO more times, with Kiddo getting more fussy each time. Mom finally reacts — not to her son, but instead to tell me:
Mom: “Well, this is the first time anyone’s ever told us that.”
Really?!
My first thought: “Darn, that kid is probably spoiled rotten. He’s going to be really disappointed when he grows up and finds out he can’t get everything he wants.”
My second thought: “Sooo, you just let your kid play with electronics that don’t belong to him? Okay, then…”
I keep ringing them up. By this point, the kiddo is actually upset, which I do feel bad about. I don’t want to ruin his little morning, but I decide to stand by my decision. That decision is that the credit card machine — which is not a toy — is still not a toy, even if Mom, apparently, doesn’t give a flip what I think.
I do my best to be nice and use a calm, crooning voice to tell the kiddo, “I’m sorry, buddy,” and so on and so forth because, again, he’s just doing what toddlers do. But as I am finishing up, Mom chats with the kiddo and shoots me look as she says passive-aggressively:
Mom: “It’s okay, sweetie. We just won’t come to this line anymore.”
I admit, part of me didn’t mind this.
Mom called and complained, and I got reprimanded. I do not know her version of the story, but my manager advised me to be careful not to “discipline” other people’s children.
Related:
Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 11
Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 10
Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 9
Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 8
Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 7
