The Walker Lady .....

Ok, I have to admit it, I go to the Tesco's across the street far too often. Since its so close, and I am not the type of person that plans out his grocery budget, I end up going there on an almost nightly basis rummaging through the 'reduced to clear' section for microwavable ready meals. I don't think I've used my cooker for anything other than frying eggs over the past 2 months. Due to my frequency of visits, I have become a bit too efficent at the Self-Serve Check-Out kiosks, and I get really annoyed with first-timers who take forever on them, still figuring the whole system out, so I am usually very happy to help them if need be in order to move everyone along.

So last night I am in the qeue, and two of the kiosks are stuck and needs a store-clerk to clear it for some reason. The old lady standing by one of them is confused, she is standing with a walker, she is about 80 (give or take a decade) and not the nicest woman in the world. I am pretty sure she's the same lady who mumbled loudly towards me at the bus station once, calling me a 'fat shit' because I didn't move out of her way fast enough.

For some reason, none of the store attendants were around so she asks me for help.

'Can you help me'

'Sure..'

'How do I use this thing'

'Ummm, sorry its stuck, you need the store clerk to log in and clear it'

'Do you even know how to use this thing', she replies angrily and a bit accusatory.

At which point I notice the clerk and wave to him, but he's helping some other poor soul at another kiosk. I tell the old lady to just wait for the attendant and he'll come and help her, which he finally does. I go to another kiosk and I am scanning my items, thinking everything has worked out, just in time to get home for the 6 o'clock new.

At this point though, the old bag is shouting insults at me to the attendant, saying things like 'that rude young man won't help me' and announcing it to the entire store. 'He said he doesn't know how to use it, but he's doing fine now' ... etc etc. This makes the old lady feel better, and in turn makes me look like the bad guy, and thats how it looks. Young, meditaranean looking guy, with a beard and a hooded jacket vs a sweet looking old lady with a hump and a walker, guess who wins.

I hate it when people think that just because they've got on in years that they can treat people with such disrespect. I guess if you are a jackass when in you are young, you'll stay a jackass when you get to old age. A part of me wanted to yell back at her, but I thought the better of it and hurried out of the store. Stupid old cow.