"Mr. Talks- To- Himself" Visits My Line

[NightAngel]

We have a queue line- there's a nifty yellow and purple sign that says "PLEASE WAIT HERE". Now, for most people that means either, "I'll wait here until one of the cashiers calls me up." or, "I'll completely ignore the sign and come on up anyway."

Lucky me- I had a new variation on this last night, Mr. Talks- To- Himself.

The manager's register is the first and closest to the line. However, I was in the middle of notating an account and had not called MTTH up nor had I even glanced in his direction. Basically, I had not indicated in any way that I even realized he was there. He stood at the sign for about two seconds and then he has this conversation with himself:

"Next customer please! I'm ready to help you.
Oh, why thank- you. *walks up to my register*
How are you today?
I'm fine and you?
I'm wonderful. *dumps movie LOUDLY over into my work area*
Did you find everything alright?
No I'm looking for ~some movie~.
Oh, well then let me help you find it....
*long pause- staring at me*
You're going to help me find it right?
*pause*
You're completely ignoring me aren't you?"

*insert crickets chirping*

That entire conversation was ALL HIM. I was still typing.
I figured that since he was doing so well on his own he didn't really need me to be active in the conversation- plus, he had REALLY ticked me off. I didn't call him up- he called himself up- it was completely obvious that I was working on something. I guess he thought if he was an asshat about it I'd just drop everything and bend over backwards for him.

Anyhoo~ once I was actually done I cashed him out but I was pretty short with him. Polite- in that tight lipped kind of way.

[LostMyMind]

Why didn't you have some fun with him, copy his behavior. Talk to yourself:

"Oh, take 10 bucks for a tip since you were so nice.
Why thank you, have a good night.
I sure will.
Next customer please!"

[JuniorMintz]

Seriously. That's all I've got. o_O

[chainedbarista]

well, that little conversation of his with 'me, myself, and i,' would have been entertaining under different circumstances, i'd have also been pissed off; wait until you're called, it's as simple as that. cashiers sometimes have to take care of little issues in between transactions, but an sc simply can't absorb that info; it's too hard and doesn't help him/her.

me, me, me is all they know; tough-sometimes, in order for 'me, me, me' to get what they want, they have to wait.

urgh, i've gotten a few like that, or i'm thinking they might have been; i swear some of our cell offenders fabricate conversations to appear more important, talking into a dead phone just for looks.

[Asarelah]

Was he just doing this to be obnoxious, or was he genuinely crazy?

[Imogene]

urgh, i've gotten a few like that, or i'm thinking they might have been; i swear some of our cell offenders fabricate conversations to appear more important, talking into a dead phone just for looks.

"I'm not getting anything from her side of the conversation. He must be using extremely new encryption."
"Or maybe he's talking to himself?"
"No, he's not that good an actor"
-Simone, for those that care.

"Next customer please! I'm ready to help you.
Oh, why thank- you. *walks up to my register*
How are you today?
I'm fine and you?
I'm wonderful. *dumps movie LOUDLY over into my work area*
Did you find everything alright?
No I'm looking for ~some movie~.
Oh, well then let me help you find it....
*long pause- staring at me*
You're going to help me find it right?
*pause*
You're completely ignoring me aren't you?"

*insert crickets chirping*

Just for fun, you should have looked up and started signing at him. Avoid any common hand gestures, of course, but just start waving your hands around, or something. Play it up, lean in with a hand cupped to your ear, as if pretending to listen to him.
Again, just for fun. Don't open your mouth, whatever you do, since he's obviously more than capable of holding your end of the conversation.

[chainedbarista]

Don't ope your mouth, whatever you do, since he's obviously more than capable of holding your end of the conversation.

am i ever glad i swallowed my drink after reading that...rule #1 almost came into effect!

[Tito]

Was he just doing this to be obnoxious, or was he genuinely crazy?

I think it's probably a combination of both.

I had my share of obnoxious customers back in the day, but this guy definitely takes the cake.

[NightAngel]

I really don't think he was crazy.
I think he was just a jerk who thought himself much funnier than I did.

[Becks]

If he thinks he's so funny, how come he hasn't sold himself to Reader's Digest yet?

[Imogene]

If he thinks he's so funny, how come he hasn't sold himself to Reader's Digest yet?

He tried, but they didn't want his submission.

[Anakah]

My co-worker got this man who believed he had another person with him but he was the only one who could see this person...
My co-worker played along, kept this psycho happy and even cashed out pretend poker chips for the invisible person with invisible money. She pretended to count it out and everything.
Crazy. Really. I would have played along too, it's best not to piss off the crazy ones.

[kerrisan]

Could he have possibly had a mental disability? I had a customer with a mental disability come in fequently with her mother alot and she would always confuse the heck outta me.