The Franprix market by my place is notorious among our friends for its bitchy cashiers. Not in an uptight, stuffy kind of bitchy, but more like a "I work for minimum wage and I can't stand customer service" kind of bitchy. Anyone who lives in France can tell you that trips to the market don't come complete with a friendly high school student wearing a Vons apron who is happy to bag your groceries for you while you take care of the bill. Here, you bag it all yourself and if you're lucky, it's during rush hour when everyone's just got off work and waiting impatiently in line behind you as you try to put your change in your wallet that won't zip closed, bag the bottles of wine in an upright, protected position and chase run away oranges.
I have seen markets where the cashiers will take note of the hold up and lend a hand, but the Franprix chicks usually cross their arms and glare no matter how many people are in line.
The other day, I was there waiting in line, holding my groceries with three people in front of me and four behind me. In a small market like this one, that's traffic. One out of three cash registers was open, while two other employees were chatting in the corner, ignoring the abandoned registers and the growing amount of customers.
Then, the woman behind me steps up.
"Are you going to open the other register?" she yells. They keep chatting.
"Tenez, je vais lancer une pièce," she says, digging in her purse.
Is that just a figure of speech I haven't learned yet or did she just tell me she's going to chuck her change at them?
Turns out, it's not a figure of speech. She pulled out a few coins and hurled them, one by one, at the head of one the Franprix employees chatting in the corner. This is the best trip to the market ever.
The girl turned around and instead of getting mad, did a little, half-hearted "Oh my, I didn't realize there were so many people" and jumped behind the other register where I was the first get be rung up.
After I paid and started to close that damn, unzipping wallet of mine, she actually helped me bag...my...groceries. Miracles do happen!
Leaving, I wanted to toss a chunky, 2 euro coin at her head and do an Italian grandma style "Thatsa so you donna forget de next time!" I didn't, but from now on, I'm not coming here without extra change in my pocket.