Dear Aggravated Shopper

Dear Annoyed Shopper,

I saw the frustrated posture you showed while waiting on me to finish my check out today.  I saw you repeatedly check your phone and roll your eyes, commenting to yourself (or whoever you were talking to) that you "couldn't believe this lady was checking out that many groceries on a Saturday afternoon" and "so fu**ing stupid to have two carts of groceries on a Saturday."  Let me, first, take this opportunity to say that I'm sorry that you were inconvenienced and I hope that your day improved after the store.

I wish you would have taken a moment to look around and realize that there were several other lanes open.  You walked up after the cashier was already beginning to unload my groceries and scan or I probably would have offered to let you go ahead of me.  There were express lanes and self check out lanes available.  I frequent this grocery store and I have met very few staff members that are not friendly.  I can honestly say that they would have assisted you in finding a more accommodating lane. 

I wish you would have thought about the words you were saying.  Saturdays are very common shopping days.  Hell, YOU were out shopping on a Saturday.  As a single working parent, I have very few days to run errands.  Believe me, if I would have been able to wave a magic wand and had it all done, I wouldn't have been in the store either.  I'd have been out somewhere enjoying the fresh air.  Furthermore, no one is "stupid" for shopping on a Saturday.  That's absurd.

I wish you could have noticed the fact that I had my daughter packing groceries into the cart as fast as the cashier could put them on the conveyor belt.  I had my coupons ready and my card was already scanned to pay.  The quantity of groceries was large but the process was relatively quick.  Again, other lanes were available with less groceries.

I wish you could have been a bit less grouchy about the whole thing.  The poor cashier looked back and saw the impending doom.  She knew you were going to grouch at her over having to wait....and I feel for her. 

Instead of all of these things, you chose to be bitter and ugly.  Realistically, YOU were the one acting stupid.  YOU were the one copping an attitude when you could have easily resolved your situation by moving somewhere else.  I have to assume, based on your behavior, that you are one of those entitled people that thinks they're the center of the universe and for that, I'm very sad for you.  I truly DO hope that your day improved after the store but if it didn't, I hope that you at least spent the rest of the day doing something you enjoyed instead of spreading your bitter venom to anyone nearby.

Sincerely,
The "Stupid" Mom in the Check out lane