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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be upset with lady on the till at Waitrose

103 replies

stonetheroses · 16/07/2011 22:36

My DH is away and have no family nearby so if I need to go to the supermarket DS1 (4.5) and DD2 (20 months) have to come with me. Today it was a little stressful, being a Saturday it was pretty bust and DD was out of the trolly wandering around. She can now undo the strap on the trolly seat so it is a nightmare as if I turn my back for one min she is up standing on the seat which is dangerous.

Anyway, at the till DS1 is constantly talking to me so I am trying to talk to him, keep an eye on DD2 (a couple of times I had to dash after her) whilst unloading/packing as quickly as I could. The girl on the checkout was not great, I had to ask for paper to wrap two glass vases I had brought and alert to her I was ready to pay.

I turned away to check DD2 was behaving and quickly glanced back as my card was in the chip and pin and caught the girl rolling her eyes and making a face to the girl on the next till. She knew I caught her and quickly gave me a big false smile. I looked at her in a way that let her know I had seen, took my receipt and walk off without smiling or saying goodbye.

AIBU for feeling equally cross/humiliated?

OP posts:
Goblinchild · 17/07/2011 10:53

Or perhaps, if you are faffing about in a crowded time-sensitive location, don't be surprised if some people think you are a bit silly.
Go ahead and do what you like, just don't get all sniffy and hurt if others eyeroll or sigh.

AgentZigzag · 17/07/2011 10:59

A 'crowded time-sensitive location'? This is a supermarket you're talking about Goblinchild, not a meeting of the top brass of MI5.

It's hardly silly to go shopping on a Saturday.

CaptainKirksNipples · 17/07/2011 11:03

I have had to apologise for the way a member of staff looked at a junkie then me as a warning they were coming in the store as she was serving his mum at the time! It sounds completely fucking ridiculous saying you will speak to someone about the way they move their eyes. Really ridiculous... had you complained to the manager it would have no doubt been an in joke for a while like it was in our store...

Had op situation happened to me I would have done a "kids, eh, who'd have them!" and probably never shop with dc until I could control them or only buy essentials!

Goblinchild · 17/07/2011 11:09

She's entitled to do what she likes, shop when she wants, she can let her DS1 scan each individual item and discuss ethical shopping practices and tuck in a bit of phonics work if she wants to. Grin
It's the whinging about a checkout girl pulling a face at a colleague that I'm finding ridiculous.

sootytotherescue · 17/07/2011 11:09

'A 'crowded time-sensitive location'? This is a supermarket you're talking about Goblinchild, not a meeting of the top brass of MI5.'

PMSL

DoMeDon · 17/07/2011 11:09

'Never shop with Dc until I could control them' - ARF! That was a joke right??? Hmm

If you work in customer services save your eye rolling for break time - be a professinal when serving - not much to ask.

Goblinchild · 17/07/2011 11:10

Me too!

CaptainKirksNipples · 17/07/2011 11:12

I can control mine but have seen some sights before! I tend to feel sorry for mum first, then the kids but generally just think why bother, get your shopping delivered - no stress.

AgentZigzag · 17/07/2011 11:20

I can control mine as well with much bribery and threats but the checkout staff are paid not to eye roll at customers making them feel more stressed than they are already.

We live a few hundred yards from a bigish supermarket, making a delivery completely outrageous.

Our next door neighbours get theirs delivered though, but as they're older they're unfortunately not taking any inconvenient children out of the Saturday shopping equation.

DoMeDon · 17/07/2011 11:26

The idea of control is laughable to me. DD sits in trolley or walks around nicely, she is well-behaved and I don't give in to whining but I don't control her - she's not an electrical appliance. If she decideds to have a melt down about the trolley- I can't control that- half the shoppers will get a face on cos of screaming, other half cos I'm a mean mum who won't give in. Then get to check out and staff member rolls eyes cos of screaming. We're all doing our best so why not save your eye rolling for real problems.

mrskemp · 17/07/2011 12:03

I love these kind of posts, always from mothers of young children, about people looking at them funny or rolling their eyes or making catsbum mouths - the catsbum mouth person is usually an old lady. I wonder why they assume its directed at them? And how pointless to think they can interpret a complete strangers facial expression and attach a load of meaning to it.

exoticfruits · 17/07/2011 12:10

If the worst that happens is that a teenager rolls their eyes and then is very embarrassed at being caught out you are not doing badly. I would just think-'you might find out that it isn't so easy one day'-and forget it.

Original poster
stonetheroses · 17/07/2011 12:43

I thought I may have/have not bur for being annoyed at the eye rolling but jesus...being unreasonable for even being there on a Saturday with...god forbid... two children (and to have brought a vase too!). Maybe they should code items that can't be brought whilst with under fives.

I brought a bunch of flowers too to put in the vase...I am guessing that was utterly irresponsible on my part too.

Age/job/wage is really no excuse for rudeness. If it was a member of the public I wouldn't have cared.

I do big shops online but my life is not THAT organised...every now and then I have to go in store.

I of course have move on and won't give it a second thought!

OP posts:
Laquitar · 17/07/2011 13:17

I agree with every post of Georgemama so i'm not going to repeat the same.

But nobody mentioned the shoppings content: 2 glass vases! Grin

Laquitar · 17/07/2011 13:17

sorry Georgimama.

AmberLeaf · 17/07/2011 13:20

Of course everyone is entitled to go shopping for what they want when they want...but dont be shocked if at certain times its more taxing on you than other times.

also that sometimes you and your family will be more of a PITA than at other times.

Plan and do it more sensibly for your own sanity not others!

AmberLeaf · 17/07/2011 13:23

Laquitar...I mentioned the glass vases!

Laquitar · 17/07/2011 14:09

Sorry Amber i must say i've read the thread very quickly and i missed things.

AgentZigzag · 17/07/2011 14:13

I once bought some cushions on a Saturday.

Yes, cushions! Shock

You should have seen the faces at the amount of conveyer belt space I took up.

And I had children with me.

Laquitar · 17/07/2011 14:20

Yes but cushions wont break on your way to the car park when running to catch 2 toddlers Grin Thats what i meant

With cushions you can start playing pillow fight if it gets tough and boring.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 17/07/2011 14:27

First rule of retail. Never let the customer see negative facial expressions!

Or even appreciative facial expressions/body language. I was once serving a rather nice looking young man with my colleague stood in my eye line behind him. She was rubbing her knees a la Vic Reeves. Yes he caught her. He walked out with a big smirk on his face.

AgentZigzag · 17/07/2011 14:28

I can take a toddler down at 100 yards with the right cushion laquitar

uninspired · 17/07/2011 14:37

Given that Waitrose /JLP pride themselves on good customer service, from my days in retail, someone rolling their eyes at a customer would be seen as a "training need".

But I think you've just got to forget about it and hope you got wine / chocolate when you went shopping.

Hermionesjumper · 17/07/2011 16:31

Oh good grief ! Am I the only one who would have challenged her as to why she was rollin her bloody eyes at me !
Doubt she would do it again Grin

ShoutyHamster · 17/07/2011 17:15

Next time:

'Oh goodness, you are rolling your eyes and puling faces! Is there a problem? Hang on, let me call a supervisor for you to speak to. Wait a sec...'

And watch as she poops her trendy teen pants.

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