Waiting in Line

When did we become so impatient to wait in a short line at a department store?

I will wait on one customer while another person is in line, but that is simply not good enough for most people. I receive dirty looks, I hear the deep breaths and sighs, and my favorite part is when they ask me in an angry voice "Is there another line somewhere in this store?" I love to watch them leave my line only to return to an even longer line and I struggle not to laugh.

I achieved the ultimate poker face  from working in retail. People yell at me, they curse at me, and I find myself situated in the most awkward scenarios. Somehow I keep a straight face through it all. 

On one such occasion I had two pairs of women (can't call them ladies) arguing over a spot in line. I heard plenty of name calling, saw some dirty looks, and witnessed scary body language indicating the possibility of a fist fight. All together very entertaining to say the least if not disturbing to watch grown women behave in such a manner. I will never forget how this one woman told the other woman that she looked like the stuffed pig that was displayed on a nearby shelf. 

There are a lot of angry people out in the world today. I look at dealing with short tempers as a game. The angrier the people get then the more teeth and gums they are going to see from me. Black Friday makes me smile so hard my face starts hurting, but I'm a walking zombie from waking up at three in the morning so it doesn't really register in my brain. 

Here's a great book for those of you with short tempers for short lines.