Can I just say as it is from the other side of the counter.Im sure before I went to work in the Supermarket I do, I also may have been a little impatient at times, but working where I do has taught me more.
Just for instance 2 weeks ago I had a chap comes to my checkout every Monday morning, bright n breezy, then tells me his wife died earlier in the year and the funeral is on Friday.So of course I have to have a little chat with him whilst the next customer I can see is getting impatient!
I have another gent comes in who's wife has demetia, she is normally with him but has been unable to come, they are a little slower going round the shelves and through the till as he has to keep hold of her hand or she will go off.
There are the older ladies who husbands have died they used to be the driver so now the lady has to catch a bus, do her shop on her own,she trembles with her purse and fumbles with coins, she has arthritic hands ,struggles with her packing.But wants to remain independant and pack herself.
People who may be missing a limb, an arm a leg,fingers etc.who cannot move as quick as an able bodied person, new hips new knees all take time to recover.
Some are partially blind and struggle with the card machine.
Then the ones who barely see another soul unless they come in to do a little bit of shopping .a carton of milk a loaf of bread, just to speak to another.
The fraught mums/dads with little ones, crying and screaming, trying her best to keep the peace.
And of course the ones who may have an illness that we cant see.
We come with all different problems and yes whilst I myself always have my card ready, others are not able to.
We may all if not already have problems in the future.
Yes we do have scan speeds to achieve, but I always pack for my customers if they want me to,I don't like my customers feeling intimidated by the next customer and having to apologise to them for being slow.
I myself will apologise to the next customer and say "sorry for your wait". Any of these people who struggle or are slower, could be our mothers/dads/ family.
My dad has Parkinsons but he trots across to the garage for his paper every morning and yes sometimes he may fumble with his change and drop his money because his hands shakes.
So if you do have a person in front of you and they seem to be struggling them perhaps stop and think