Today at the food store, there were 2 lines and about 9 or 10 people in each. This being New York, it is not unusual. And I settled in for a Zen moment before stepping into line.
When I was 2 people back (and now the line stretched far into the store), the woman checking out changed her mind on which cereal she wanted. So she left. With over $112.00 wrung up so we couldn't unring her. The other line had a problem I don't know what it was.
We wanted over 3 minutes, with the customers getting more and more angry. And LOUDER. I didn't participate. I stood quietly as the woman in front of me went off. After about 5 minutes, they finally opened another line and took the woman in front of me (with - honestly - a full to the brim basket top and bottom) to another line and people filled after her.
I wanted as the Chex cereal mom returned. She finished. Then I noticed she only finished part of her order. She then used some checks I don't understand to buy milk - but she tried to by Lactose free milk and it wasn't covered, so they unrang that and restarted. Then - after that check - she had 2 more for fruits and vegetables. The cashier kept ringing various combinations up trying to find the number closest to $15.00.
I started to set down my groceries and the customer said, "Don't throw my food." And I lost it. Honestly, fucking lost control.
I responded, extremely vocally, "I did not THROW anything. Look. No, look! I put your tomatoes here so I could finally set some of these things, I have carried for 15 minutes as you got your cereal, down."
"Just don't throw my food."
I am not proud of it, but I said, even louder, "What? What did I throw? Tell me." I looked at the woman behind me and asked her, "Did you see me throw anything?" Turned back. "When you see me throw something, you'll know."
And like that my mood, previously under check, zoomed out the fucking door and into the sewer. I was pissed all the way home. Yelled at the building for not finishing the front of our condo in A YEAR! And was about to start on a rant with someone else, when I decided to write this down and get it out.
Deep breath....