Bill and I have been having WILD luck with checkout cashiers lately.

He's right. When I was shopping at Publix last weekend for my mum in Florida, the checkout lady and I exchanged some pleasantries and smiles. She stopped scanning my items at one point and said:
"Oops - you're buying the organic salad - I've got a $2.00 coupon you'll want". And, she waved her scanning wand over the coupon hiding behind her cash register. She winked at me while she did it.
I like to engage checkout people in conversation. Usually, I can gauge whether the person scanning my newly purchased items wants to be bothered trading bon mots with me. I don't press it if they are distracted or clearly cannot do two things at once. However, yesterday I ran into a young woman who appreciated the value of small talk.
I didn't realize at first that she was "in training". Then, I noticed her manager was leaning over the cash register as we commenced our (complicated) transaction. The "manager" couldn't have been more than 18 months older than the trainee. In fact, there was no indication that the trainee was a trainee, other than the lurking presence of this other employee.

Every so often the trainee would interject a comment indicating that she was following our conversation. When she scanned the replacement shoes she told me they were "much cuter" and that I was not making a mistake.
When she did the final total, she started to complain that she couldn't see the amount of change she owed. (I was, for once, using CASH!). For a micro second, I sensed she was trying to do the calculation in her head.
So, I said in a joking manner:
"You don't need the computer to do the calculation since you're a math major."
She stopped in her tracks.
She looked up at me quizzically. "How did you know I was a math major".

She completed the rest of the transaction in silence.
As I gathered my bags, I leaned in and asked her:
"Are you really a math major?" (I wasn't really sure. It WAS possible that she was goofing on ME!)
She nodded her head. "How did you know?"
"I didn't. I just knew you were smart".
As she put my purchases in the bag she smiled and said:
"ENJOY YOUR CUTE NEW SHOES" At the same time, her manager mumbled :
"Strangest transaction of the day"
Next time I go to DSW I will look for that trainee and line up in her line. Chances are, she'll be managing the place!
At Home Depot they have "Self Checkout". I'll look at myself just long enough as it takes to shave. I would rather checkout a cashier than myself, any day.
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