THE LIST

I know I have mentioned this before. This confession of an obsession I have. I am a hard core list maker! They pop up everywhere. I was a natural at the Grace in Small Things I did several years ago because it was just second nature to keep a daily list of ....anything!

Since I tend to spend all my time at a job that does not allow any personal effects at all I over come that barrier by whipping off a ten inch piece of the receipt tape and use it as my writing pad. I fold it up and stick it in one of my pockets to have at ready if I need to add to it. Which as you can see by the mountain of slips, I add and add and add.

I have a (several) list(s) of possible blog entries. And I ran across it (one) the other day, the one I jotted down sometime right after Christmas. So I thought that I would use one of the idea's this morning.

TOUCHED BY THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

This is the Christmas season in retail! Desperate people buying those last minute gifts because the son's girl friend is going to attend. Desperate procrastinating people who wait to start their Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve Eve! And later. Desperate people who have no idea what to buy. So they come to The Biscuit Bucket knowing that they will be helped and guided through the gifting process with a steady knowledgeable hand. 80 year old grandmother in a nursing home! No problem, take a look at this Fairy in a Jar! Ten year old gifted kid! No problem, look at this hand held Suduko challenge! Only $19.99 and we gift wrap for you!

Lord help me. Just to get away from the craziness I enjoy gift wrapping. Though I do not enjoy the gift giver hoovering over me as I crate an awesome outer shell to a 50% off ornament purchased because "i don't want to spend much"...but they want a million dollar wrap job. Sometime I'll ask, "What do you do for a living?" and I hear a wide spectrum of occupations. Inside my head I bark "Would you like me coming to your 'fill in the blank' and breath down your neck as you work?"

But I do not.

I just work my magic and hope to hell they do not call the corporate office and tell them I was mean (that almost happened this Christmas!)

But somewhere under all the excitement and dread building, the True Spirit of Christmas is lurking about.

Right after the incident of being curt and unaccommodating with a pushy guest I was bracing myself for a call into the back office for a tongue lashing and a warning. I was talking with the Retail Manager, expecting the worst when we were approached by a woman who recognized him as a Manager and touched his arm, "How many servers do you have working tonight?". We were packed and service was a little slow. Restaurants are notorious in trying to keep labor at a bay and predicting traffic and they are never correct! I thought she was going to call corporate and complain and wanted to have her numbers straight. She wanted the count for an entirely different reason.

10 minutes later, as I was looking for some type of candy for a guest a gentleman took my hand and shook it, "Merry Christmas and thank you!" As he walked away I realized he had placed a $20 bill in my hand. Along with a business card inviting me to visit the Bible Church.

I was astonished. It was not only me, but every brown apron clad over worked and under appreciated employee with in his sphere in a one minute period.

Then they were gone.

Wow.

Another incident. I was on the way home Christmas Eve and headed into Kroger. I know, what was I thinking! I was thinking, "I NEED SOME EGG NOG!!"

The store was torn up! People were everywhere. I had chosen a Kroger that I had never been in before and it was pleasantly Old School Kroger. Apparently in an area that did not warrant a remodel.

I stood inline (no self check out) and waited and waited. It was a long line. The cashier was really rocking though. Since I am a cashier at Elvis World I was watching her work it and was impressed how she was moving that line.

It was my turn! I had very few items and was rung up FAST. I ran my debit card through and hit the OK button and was handed my bag and held my hand out for the receipt....the receipt....the receipt....No receipt. She was out of tape.

She whips one out and reloads as the line begins to shift from one foot to another and crane their necks to see what the hold up was. The tape she put in did not load. She tried over and it did not load again. She removed it and examined it and called for Back-up. It was the wrong tape. The cashier behind her did not have a roll of thermal tape either.

The line began to disperse and head for other long lines to start all over. the grumbling was audible.

The lady behind me moved closer, into the space that usually is reserved for the one who is being checked out. the courtesy area so to speak.

"Don't worry honey" she said to the young green haired cashier with the orange fingernail polish, "We can wait while you fix this. I am in no hurry"

From way back in the line a lone voice called out, "Hell it's Christmas! We're all in a HOLIDAY mood!! It's all good" And that battle cry was taken up by all the people in line! "It's the holidays!! It's OK!!"

And it was. All good.

It was really was. The rattled cashier regained her composure, the tape was changed and I was on my way and everyone in the line was talking with each other, getting into each others space, so to speak.