Fine, And You?

I stopped at Safeway on the way home to pick up a few groceries and a 30 day youth bus pass for youngest daughter.

At the check stand the clerk asked me how I was doing.

“Fine.”

The bagger, who put my three bags worth of items into five bags, also enquired after my health.

I assured him too that I was, “fine.”

With the checkout process at an end the clerk informed me that I would have to go to another check stand with the receipt to lay my mitts on the bus pass. I wearily complied and went over to check stand three which evidently has a monopoly on the store’s bus passes.

There I was met by a friendly checker who was curious to know how I was.

I allayed his fears by letting him now I was, “fine.” Though to be honest by this time I was not “fine” owing to being asked so insincerely so often about my health which is in fact quite robust these days, thank you very much. Meanwhile my quick stop was being turned into an endurance test.

Finally the clerk at check stand three gave me a 10 ride youth bus pass.

I was not amused. I told the blighter I required and had asked for the 30 day variety.

“That’s what’s on the receipt.” He stated as if I was up to know good. “I wanted a 30 day pass. When the other guy asked me if that’s what I wanted I said, ‘yes,’” I replied, perhaps a little testily. The manager was in the area so he intervened.

Turned out I’d have to take my receipt back to the original check stand to get the receipt I really needed for the bus pass I really wanted.

“So I have to carry my bags back over there, give him this receipt, get rung up again, carry my bags back here and give you the new receipt?”

“Sorry.”

Ask me how I am now.

While waiting at the original check stand I took advantage of the time to re pack my groceries and save two bags.

You’re welcome, Safeway.

Anyway it was ultimately a happy ending as I left the store with my purchases, including the 30 day youth bus pass youngest daughter required. Plus I'd had the opportunity to assure three different people that I was, "fine."