Under Construction, Over Complaining

Our checkout area is half closed off with plastic sheets and bright yellow tape. I’m working at my register when a problem regular customer comes up.

Customer: “I’m always telling you that you need to get more checkout lanes up in this place. And now there are less! What gives?!”

Me: *Gestures at the construction.* “We’re… adding more checkout lanes up in this place.”

Customer: *Stutters a bit, a little thrown by my statement.* “Well… you should do it overnight, so it doesn’t inconvenience us!”

Me: “It takes a couple of days to get them in, wired up, tested, and sorted. There’s going to be disruption whatever we do.”

Customer: *Grumbles, flustered.* “Well… you… ugh… just hurry up!”

I scan his items in silence, while the construction guys behind us start loudly hammering. I hand him his receipt with a bright smile.

Me: “Don’t worry, sir, by the time it’s done, you’ll have twice as many lanes to yell at me in.”

For once, he had nothing else to say.