Patience testers

Let me describe the following situation to you. I am with my family and after a long day of work and shopping we are finally at the BigBazaar checkout counter. I wiggle into a queue with only one couple in front of me. He has a cart full of items, should take no more than 3-4 minutes to check out. The cashier tallies the amount, it comes to Rs.4000 odd . So far so good.

Out come couple of BigBazaar gift vouchers. After counting it is figured out that still around 3000 Rs is to be paid.

Then comes the dreaded Ticket Restaurant Meal vouchers. Slow and methodical counting in progress and I am tapping my feet impatiently. [ I can never for the world figure out why folks cannot start counting once the cashier is tallying up the items ]. Well guess what, even after like 5 minutes of counting, still around 1500 is owed in balance.

Here comes a credit card now. Phew, finally the end seems near !! But no, looks like there is no easy getaway today

Cashier : “Sir, since you have shopped for 4000, you can get a crockery set for 150. Would you be interested ?”

Of course he would be interested, his whole purpose on earth seems to be to torture people behind in the queue. Off goes his wife to check out the crockery.

Another 5 mins pass. And the cashier won’t bill , because the guy won’t swipe till his wife comes back and tell him if to buy the crockery or not. I am already fantasizing on what I would do with a set of crockery on this guy’s head !!

Finally the wife come back and happily informs him that there is no need to buy the crockery set. Happily he checks out and leaves. Not a word of apology or acknowledgement to the people behind.

I am not a violent man, but boy if I do turn to violence I know exactly the kind of people to go after !!

And I do have a pathological hatred for anyone who pays by Ticket Restaurant vouchers.