Whatsoever You Do

It must be "movie week" in my head, because one of the final scenes of French Kiss is the lead in for this post. It's the scene where the french inspector is asking Luc to finish the story, "Imagine un avion..." But in this post the line is, "Imagine you're in a grocery store..."

It's one of those self check out lines and you're next. The woman before you swipes her payment card. The register/computer thinks for a moment then a loud mechanical voice announces, loud enough for every household in a eight block radius to hear. "This transaction cannot be completed. Please select continue and choose a different payment method."

Embarrassed the woman fumbles for her purse, retrieves another card, only to have the same computer generated voice announce once again the transaction cannot be completed.

You notice the woman, now frantic, attempting to use a third card. This one a store charge, but not for this store. Obviously she's flustered and once again rejected.

What do you do? Find another register? Report her failings to customer service? Chances are, they already know, just like everyone else waiting in line. Sneer and sigh at your misfortune? After all you are stuck behind her. School pick up is looming... The Sears guy called and is on his way to your house... Your ice cream is a puddle...

Or would you ask if you could be of help? Sliding your credit card when prompted for payment method.