2/28/2005

Intimidating Machines!

Hey Newbie, I am in total agreement about those checkout machines. Hell I'm terrified of those things. Every time I go to the mainland and into Shaws and then the checkout line, I keep saying to myself that I'm not going to let that damned machine get the best of me this time! As the line in front of me diminishes and I get closer and closer to the thing, the faster my steadfast resolve drains right down into my shoes and I meekly hand my credit card to the checkout girl as I mumble under my breath that I can't read, write, or count out money!

It's not so much the machine as the number of people waiting behind me to use the self checkout that really gets to me. I spend most of the time in front of the thing wondering about what the people behind are saying about that stupid ass up there who can't figure out how to put the money in the damned slot! Then when you do get it in there, it spits it out because you did it wrong, or the damn bill is counterfeit and the alarm goes off and people and cops come running from everywhere to catch a thief! Jeez, How embarrassing is that?! I used to hang back a little and watch how others do it and then when a lull in users appeared, I'd slide up to it and put my stuff on the counter and then out of nowhere, 15 of those aforementioned shoppers would appear! Now I won't even go near the thing. I think there is some kid in an office watching through a window and when he sees a likely victim, he starts making the machine act like it was possessed! I hate them! Please bring back the pretty girls! TIFN Everett

1 comment:

Sam said...

I avoid the "one arm bandits" like the plague, now. I usually shop for 1-2 weeks and have a huge cart at the checkout. A nice gal saw me in line (where there was a real person checking) and said "I'll help you with the automated checker." Boy, she was good, knowing where to swipe the bar codes, bag, and get me on my way. Then I broke the machine, somehow. The software went crazy and alarms went off and the receipt paper was pouring all over the floor. It took an extra 30 minutes just to get it so I could write a check. I think they had to reboot the computer and then find my transaction code, which had vanished, of course. The store manager was fit to be tied, saying that it did that three times a day. I learned my lesson good ... and yes, there were lots of grumpy people behind me, too. -Sam