Has Some Baggage About The Bagger

(I’m shopping at my local grocery store. The register I get in line at has a bagger, and everything is moving okay. However, the bagger is not super-fast, and, from the looks of it, has Down Syndrome. He’s doing a great job of carefully packing up everyone’s shopping, and no one is complaining, but the cashier seems to be going out of her way to make his job hard… scanning things in such an order that he has to wait for heavier items to put on the bottom of the bag, doing no bagging herself (and if she finishes scanning before he finishes bagging, just standing there and staring at him), and tossing handheld shopping baskets, which most people use at this store, into the middle of the bagging area so that he has to work around them. I arrange my shopping so that she will scan the heavier items first and bagging will be easier. She reaches for the lightest items at the back of the order.)

Me: “I arranged my items to be bagged easier. Why don’t you scan from closest to you?”

Cashier: “I know how to scan items.”

Me: “Apparently you don’t. I’ve watched you scan three people’s items in the exact opposite order they should be bagged.”

Cashier: “Whatever…” *condescendingly* “Is this better?” *scans my items in proper order*

Me: *in the snottiest tone I can muster* “Yes, it is.”

(I stand there silently while she rings up my order, finishing before the bagger finishes. She shoves my cart at him, hitting him in the heel.)

Me: “That wasn’t necessary.”

Cashier: “It was an accident.”

Me: “No, it wasn’t. I need to see your manager.”

Cashier: “Just pay and go. He’ll be done by the time your payment processes, I think.” *said in the snottiest of tones*

Me: “Nope. Manager, now.”

Cashier: “Fine.” *into intercom* “Manager requested at register three.”

Manager: “Is there something I can help you with today?”

Me: “Your cashier here seems to have a problem with her bagger, and seems to be going out of her way to make his job harder.”

Cashier: “No, I didn’t! You’re just making trouble and holding up the line!”

Me: “I’d suggest you go review her register camera video and see just what she’s doing. I arranged my items to be scanned heaviest to lightest to make bagging easier, and she tried to scan them in the opposite order, like she did every customer in front of me. She’s also put the baskets in the middle of the bagging area in his way, and offered no help on larger orders, even though she could have bagged alongside him after scanning and processing payment to expedite the remainder of the bagging. Your bagger is doing a great job of handling customer’s items carefully and bagging them in proper order… She’s actively making his job harder.”

Cashier: “No, I didn’t! It isn’t my fault he’s slower than s***!”

Manager: “[Cashier]! Go to the office now. Ma’am, thank you for speaking up. We will review the tapes. We value all of our employees, and this is unacceptable.”

Me: “One more thing.”

Manager: “Anything. Shoot.”

Me: “Tell him he’s doing a good job.”

(Manager looks over and sees Bagger looking at him, worried.)

Manager: “[Bagger], you’re doing a good job! Keep it up! I’m going to work with you here for a minute, okay?”

Bagger: “Okay, boss!”

Me: *to Bagger* “Thank you for packing my groceries so carefully.”

Bagger: “That’s my job!”

(No one who works hard deserves to be treated like that. I’m hoping the complaint has some impact on how they train and review their staff.)