I Love My Job

I've been at my job for practically a year already! I work at a local grocery store, and I love it! Like all jobs, it has its good and bad things about it, but overall I really like my job.  One of the things that makes my job so great is the customers.  Sometimes the customers come in my line and yell at their kids and then I have to awkwardly stand there and be super friendly to them while also being slightly terrified as they're yelling at their kids pretty much the whole time.  Usually I just hurry as fast as I can to get them through my line so I don't prolong the awkwardness that I feel.  With the other customers, I just love seeing good being done.  I LOVE when I'm working, and someone ends up not having enough money for their total purchase, and the person behind them offers to pay the difference for them.  It makes my heart so happy to see the kindness that still exists in the world today.  One of the other things that I love is some of the conversations that I end up having with customers.  Sometimes it is the conversations with customers that can make my whole entire day.  Here are just a few of my favorites that I've had over the past year.

The following interaction just melted my heart:
 *Little girl hands me a picture that she colored.*
Little Girl's Mom:  "She colored that and wanted to come and give it to one of the 'payer girls.'
Me: "Oh! Thank you! I love it!"
*Little girl smiles at me.*

Here is the picture that the little girl gave to me.  I will keep it forever.

*Old couple comes through my line.*
Old Woman: "Sorry, I couldn't get that bag of (whatever was in the bag. fruit, I think) to tie."
Me: "It's okay." *Proceeds to tie bag for them*
Old Woman: "Oh! You are so good at tying those bags!"
Old Man:  "She's a knot-head."
Old Woman: "She is not a knot-head! She is a beautiful girl!" *Leans in close to me* "It's the boys who are the knot-heads."

*Boy comes through my line buying flowers*
Me: "These are pretty!"
Boy: "Yeah, they are."
Me: "Who are they for?"
Boy: "Um, just a girl that I know. "
Me: "Oh ok. That is nice of you!"
Boy: Yeah, I guess.  She is mad at me. Well.... I don't know if she is mad at me for sure....  She has a boyfriend though.
Me:"Oh ok"
Boy: "Yeah, but I guess it's a nice thing to do still though, right?"
Me: "yeah, it is."

*Guy comes through my line*
Guy: "It is so cold outside!"
Me: "I know! Is it below zero yet?"
Guy: "No, but it's close.  It's so cold out that I just saw a teenager pull up his pants just a minute ago."

*Woman comes through my line:*
Woman: "My grand daughter's name is Bailey!  She's a little girl though."
Me: "Yeah. I think it's more common of a name now than when I was a kid."
Woman: "How old are you? 16?"
Me: "No.  I'm 21"
Woman: "......oh."

This next one didn't happen to me, but it was pretty priceless so I'm going to share it anyway. I can't remember the conversation exactly but it went like something close to this:
*Woman comes through the line*
Woman: "Oh, I left the giftcard at home that I was going to use!"
Cashier: "Oh dang it!  Don't you just hate when you do that?"
Woman:"Yeah. Ya know what?  I think my son used the giftcard!!"  He was just trying to get me to let him buy it from me, and there is $25.00 on his itunes account and I can't explain how it got there.  That little-*Insert expletive that starts with an S*  I'm going to have to have a word with him about it when I get back home. "
Cashier: "You'll have to let me know how that one goes over!"
Woman: "Okay I will.  Please just promise not to call child services one me in the meantime."

*Old man comes through my line*
Me: Have you had a good day today?"
Old Man: "He** no!!"
Me: "Why not?"
Old Man: "Because I never have a good day."

*Guy comes through my line*
Me: "Just so you know, these donuts are free, because it's after 9pm."
Man: "What? Donuts are free after 9 now?"
Me: "Yep!"
Man: "Sweet!  I just better not let my wife find out about that!"

And my personal favorite is when I get asked this question:
Customer: "Do you want to take my children home with you? If you want then you can have them."

(You'd be surprised how often I actually get offered other people's children. It happens a lot.)
I'm sure there are many other noteworthy conversations that I've had with customers but I can't remember them right this second.  My job truly is great.  I work with wonderful people, and my job is just overall pretty great.  I'm lucky to have a job that I can actually enjoy most of the time and not have to dread going to work every single day.  I'm so grateful for that!