I Guess Safeway Hates Me

I'm a very easy-going guy, as a general rule. It's just coincidence that this happened so soon after my last incident at this particular Safeway.

I usually don't have access to the car on weekdays. Yesterday, however, Mrs. Arone took a well-deserved mental health day off, and therefore didn't take it to work. We were out of a few things, and I had three winning Scratcher lottery tickets to cash, received from various in-laws in my Christmas stocking last month. I grabbed the tickets and headed to the Safeway.

I probably had all the money I'd need for the groceries, but I decided to cash the tickets first, just in case. I headed over to the customer service counter, where the lottery stuff happens. The sign indicated that the CS counter was open from 9-5. It was about 11 A.M., but there was nobody manning it. Not a big deal, it happens all the time. I leaned against the counter and started to wait. There were a few employees around, not behind the counter, but milling about in the area, seemingly on break. Again, not a big deal. When employed, I've done retail work for the last 24 years (fuck a duck, I'm old), and I fully understand that employees on break are usually FORBIDDEN from doing work. I've absolutely seen someone at my old store fired for the exact offense. So I was OK with that.

So, I'm standing there at the counter. A minute. Two minutes. No help. I turned around, toward the sales floor, and made sure I was visible. I mean, I KNOW I was visible, as I am still fat as a whale and was wearing my brightest T-shirt. But I wanted to make sure. I was scanning the store, making eye contact with employees. Another couple of minutes, and some motherfucking three-piece suit with a Safeway nametag walked right by me without a word. District Manager? Who knows? I kept scanning, and saw a guy who I was sure was a manager of some sort - I've seen him around the store before, and he was in a more "business casual" uniform than Mr. Gucci. One step fancier than the cashiers. We made eye contact, and he turned away.

Very loudly, though not yelling, I said "You know, if the customer service counter is closed, that's fine, but it would be FANTASTIC if there were a sign or something letting me know!" Every head within 50 feet turned my way. Gucci, business casual, customers, and cashiers. There's a developmentally disabled guy there who is exclusively a bagger and price checker - he asked me if I needed help. Perfectly friendly-like, I responded, "That's why I'm here!" Nice that he was the only one who asked, but he then just stood there, and continued being retarded. The checkers continued checking, of course - that's what they were in the middle of doing. The workers on break were mumbling to each other. Gucci continued his phone call. Manager just stared.

"I don't mind waiting, but am I wasting my time standing here like a moron? Is anyone working the CS counter?"

Finally, the fat little manager (thinner than I am, honestly, but he was all red and shiny, like a tick about to pop) came ambling up, and asked "Do you need some help?"

In my inside voice, I responded "Like I said, I don't mind waiting, but it would be great if you guys could put up a sign that says 'Back in 5 Minutes' or something."

"Sometimes we have to leave the counter."

My blood pressure spiked. "Did you not hear me? The wait is not the issue. A completely desolate counter, with no indication of when or if you'll be back is the issue. Your boss completely ignoring me is another."

He mumbled something about being busy. "Me, too," I lied. Then, loud enough that Gucci could hear, "Guess I have to go to Fresh & Easy!" And I did.

I'll probably be back - I'm not one for making grand proclamations about never returning. As a cashier, I could never give half a fuck when people made that claim anyway. But I'll keep it to the graveyard shift. I'm usually the only asshole in the store at 4 A.M.