Love the injection of product codes throughout; amazing the detail involved in “easy” jobs. And the memories flooding me right now of retail work (class of Staples Store #96, 1997-2000; I can make a playlist of the damn music on the overhead speaker...)
Working retail when young opens one's eyes in many different ways. I worked in a major drugstore chain, before computers, and we had to count change back to the customer, not just dole out what the register said and dump it in their hands. Using a credit card was rare, accepting a cheque meant calling the manager or assistant manager to authorize it.
Reading this post has been such a delight, Alison! I loved that you used product codes as punctuation points. I worked at a supermarket the summer I finished university, and found it really difficult. I was employed as a (trainee) temp, one of many employed short-term to keep the checkouts going while permanent staff were being trained on the new self-scanning technology (this was back in 1997).
Alison, I loved your subject today! I laughed right out loud several times, especially when I saw product code 4011. That was pretty bananas!! HAHA. (I know, such a corny joke. Do you remember the product code for corn? Giggle)
Not sure if I ever told you that I also worked in a grocery store in high school and university. We had to key in every product price so the fingers and the brain got their workout. Mistakes were simple with the slip of a finger so accuracy was necessary. I would often go to bed visualizing numbers. It was a good gig except on big holidays. Line-ups were endless, people were tired and some would have multiple carts filled. I was glad to see those days end. But like you, there were regular customers who would chat with me and make my days memorable. Upon reflection, I am grateful someone had the faith to hire me as the job gave me experience to gain my next job.
Love the injection of product codes throughout; amazing the detail involved in “easy” jobs. And the memories flooding me right now of retail work (class of Staples Store #96, 1997-2000; I can make a playlist of the damn music on the overhead speaker...)
My grocery store story was working in a drug store, pre UPC scanning days. I don't think I want to inflict that on anyone.
Working retail when young opens one's eyes in many different ways. I worked in a major drugstore chain, before computers, and we had to count change back to the customer, not just dole out what the register said and dump it in their hands. Using a credit card was rare, accepting a cheque meant calling the manager or assistant manager to authorize it.
Reading this post has been such a delight, Alison! I loved that you used product codes as punctuation points. I worked at a supermarket the summer I finished university, and found it really difficult. I was employed as a (trainee) temp, one of many employed short-term to keep the checkouts going while permanent staff were being trained on the new self-scanning technology (this was back in 1997).
Alison, I loved your subject today! I laughed right out loud several times, especially when I saw product code 4011. That was pretty bananas!! HAHA. (I know, such a corny joke. Do you remember the product code for corn? Giggle)
Not sure if I ever told you that I also worked in a grocery store in high school and university. We had to key in every product price so the fingers and the brain got their workout. Mistakes were simple with the slip of a finger so accuracy was necessary. I would often go to bed visualizing numbers. It was a good gig except on big holidays. Line-ups were endless, people were tired and some would have multiple carts filled. I was glad to see those days end. But like you, there were regular customers who would chat with me and make my days memorable. Upon reflection, I am grateful someone had the faith to hire me as the job gave me experience to gain my next job.
Thanks for taking me down memory lane again!