Yet another sighting at the gas station near work ~ Warning - LONG!!

[Peppergirl]

This one is from yesterday.

I worked a 14 hour shift, and got off at 10pm. Usually I do this shift from home, but I stupidly decided to go into the office and do the shift there.

The day wasn't too busy, but I'm sure many of you in cust service have noticed that the economy has made people even more stupid and bad tempered than usual.

Anyway, I was fed up and aggrivated after the shift and, although tired, I decided I didn't want to go straight home. My ex-fiance who is currently my best friend lives a couple of blocks from work and knew I was having a bad day and asked if I wanted to stop by. I happily agreed and stopped at the gas station to get two tall boys, for medicinal purposes of course.

My office is in a bad area, so the gas station is always prime SC-spotting territory, and worse.

I grab the tall boys and proceed to the counter, and find myself behind a gentleman who, by the sight and smell of him, can't seem to decide between pot and beer. He was clearly drunk AND high at the same time.

C - Cashier
DHG - Drunk, high guy
Me -

Here's what ensued:

C - 'Help you?'

DHG - 'Gotsh' a lighter?'

C - 'Pardon?'

DHG - (a bit louder, but no more clear) 'Gotsh a lighter?'

C - 'Yes'

DHG - .....

C - .....

DHG - .....

C - 'Would you like one?'

DHG - 'Yesh'

At this point, he is swaying back and forth. I become mildly concerned that he might fall into me.

C - (places small black lighter on counter) 'That will be $1.29'

DHG - *blink* Picks up lighter, tests it, places lighter down. THEN decides to begin the painstaking process of pulling massive amounts of change out of his pockets and proceeds to ATTEMPT to count out the change.

Have you ever seen a drunk/high person count change? It's a disturbingly painful process, but similar to a car accident, you'll find yourself not able to look away.

DHG - still counting change. Finally counts out enough after, literally, about 2 minutes of counting.

C - begins to put change in drawer.

DHG - 'Wait!'

C - 'Yes'

DHG - 'Donnnsha have any BIGGER 'dan 'dish one?'

At this point, I'm no longer amused. Im openly and increasingly annoyed.

C - (huge sigh) 'yes, do you want one of those instead?'

DHG - 'Yesh'

C - hands him bigger lighter and informs him its 12 cents more.

Queue the reaching in to the pocket again for the fucking 12 cent count-out marathon.

At this point, I had had MORE than enough.

Me - 'You know what? Here. Here's the 12 cents. My beer will be warm by the time you count that out'


At this point the cashier stifled a laugh and looked at him expectantly. He was so far gone that he couldnt even be offended. He just stared at me and then at her.

I handed the cashier the 12 cents and he took his BIGGER lighter and staggered out the door.

I stepped up to the counter and told the cashier she was a patient woman. At this point she was openly laughing and thanked me for the 12 cents, because she was ready to tear her eyeballs out.

The really scary part is that he got into an old beat up truck and drove away. I had assumed he was on foot, as many of the people are in this area.

I ran out to try to get the plate number, but he drives alot faster than he counts money and was gone before I could get it.

:shudder:

[mattm04]

We have a homeless man who has always worn the same blankets, for over a year, even over the summer. When he gets his coffee he literally takes 2-3 minutes to find his change then however long to count it.

Unfortunately some poor cashier must stand their and smell combination wet og an urine.

No i don't know why we let him in the store.