Monday 25 October 2010

Really, more tales from behind the till

Of course, the LO has nothing to do with the post, I just like a post with a picture!

On Tuesday, Laura and Kelly called in. I met them both through crafts and their connections to the shop - they are core members of Ludgershall Crop, too. I cannot begin to describe them - vivacious, opinionated, chatty and totally and utterly up for anything. They leave me enriched with laughter and very, very much the wiser. They watch things on tv that I've never heard of, they erm 'educate' me in the art of life; there are no moments spent with them that aren't utterly entertaining. Both of them are devoted wives and mothers and they are both married to serving Soldiers. They have burdens to bear. But you wouldn't know it.
So, in they breeze, make themselves at home and do some double-act type shopping. I should add at this point that two other gals are there and really, we laughed till we cried but also - we had our mouths agape at some parts of the conversation. But get this - Kelly taught me something really important. And that is - when you get to the till, stop yakking and start concentrating. REALLY. She paid for her shopping with a credit card and I did the deed, turning it to her for PIN number entry as we chatted. Naturally, she entered her PIN number. After all, I'd handed her the machine for just that purpose, remember. Yeah, but I'd missed an important part of the button pressing and Kelly's pin number became part of the debit amount.
Oh yes, I tried to charge her £176,000 and some change (which I can't tell you because it was her PIN number!)

And as if that wasn't enough, it wasn't me that noticed! I did void the transaction and correct it and she was very, very gracious. We laughed about her husband's reaction. Correctly, I hope!

So there's a real lesson - don't distract me at the till, it's unlikely to be to your advantage. And another good reason - there isn't really room in front of the till for fainting.

19 comments:

Jules said...

That made me laugh - thank you for cheering up my Monday morning!

SDCrafts said...

Been realising the connections for me of where you live...spent most of my childhood in and around Ludgershall for holidays with my Gran who lived there; she was a teacher in L before transferring to a school in Andover...and my Mum was school secretary in Tidworth.

But that was all in the year 19 hundred and frozen-to-death (as my dear hubby likes to call anything pre-1960ish). Then Mum married Dad, he was in RAF, so we travelled lots but always gravitated back to Gran's in L - it was the hub of our extended family. Meant a lot to me growing up...will always have fond memories of the area. Oh and M&D were married in L too.

Just thought you'd like to know - without giving away too much ID info!

Anne said...

Brilliant! It is one of my ambitions to run a shop, even for a little while. I would just have so much fun. And if it were a crafting shop, even better - you must be having a ball!

cheryl said...

oh you always do such a great post hun he he,gosh if my hubbie had been there,he would have gone mad,he he,but love that layout you have done,really effective just love the photos,hugs cheryl xxxx

Linby said...

Well that was nearly as expensive as that Xmas card you made the other day LOL!
Linbyx

CoventryAnn said...

You've missed your vocation as a small (but very profitable!) businesswoman Julia!!!

airing cupboard crafts said...

HA ha ha you had me laughing out loud this morning!!! I can't believe you called us chatty we are usually so quiet and timid lol. You have us all day Saturday too!!!!

Have you watched the Essex programme yet?? You were fab in the shop ask Tracy for a job xx

See you saturday, Laura xx

Diane said...

I have been following your tales from behind the till with great interest, often thinking that I wish I knew what shop it was and wishing that it was close to me so I could pop in and meet you. You make me laugh so much..
Now I am really glad your shop, wherever it is, is NOT my local..because I just know I wouldn't have noticed and even I couldn't have explained that one away to my husband!!!!

Helen said...

I nearly got charged £64,000 at a craft show once - fortunately I spotted it and we had a good laugh about it!!! It is so easily done. Love the stories of your "helping" in the shop.

donnalouiserodgers said...

ha ha - you won't catch me like that as I take a cash budget only...

Dx

Cardarian said...

Ha, ha who knows if it was really a mistake....;-) .....love your shop snippets!
Hugs,
Cardarian

Pam said...

Shop keeper gal would have been impressed with your takings!

I was hoping to pop over Friday but came to the aid of a friend in need and never made it further tha Wootton Basset maybe next time x

Lyn said...

I particularly chuckled at the phrase "So, in they breeze, make themselves at home and do some double-act type shopping." My friend for over 40 years and I are class double act shoppers and I could so relate!

I too have had a fainting moment at a till when my £14.00 bill showed up as £14000.00 - sure enough I managed to express the shock by the draining of all colour and garbled noises eminating from my mouth whilst pointing furiously. The shop man person went from cynical amusement at just another old bat posturing at his prices to profusely apologising - HA! I'm menopausal, not made of money......

Mrs A. said...

Wiping the tears from my eyes. The comments above are just as hysterical!!!. Keep em coming.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Sorry I'm so late getting here. I've had horrible back spasms since Saturday and simply can't sit for long. Not sure if this helped make the pain subside for a moment, or caused it to be worse after the fit of laughter I had over your debacle. And HOW much longer do you have there (grin)? And to think I got all serious when I got overcharged by fifty cents recently!

peggy aplSEEDS said...

no room for fainting! so funny!

Chrissie said...

A salutary lesson, maybe I should always check the amount before zapping in my pin!
Chrissie

Anne said...

I love that layout. Loverley.

shazsilverwolf said...

Your story- and some of the replies- is so funny!