Most bizarre / worst checkout line and accountability experience of my life. At 42, I have never had to wave for security, or report a disastrous case of oblivious eastern seaboard white supremacy / white entitlement - all native californians know it when we...
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Most bizarre / worst checkout line and accountability experience of my life. At 42, I have never had to wave for security, or report a disastrous case of oblivious eastern seaboard white supremacy / white entitlement - all native californians know it when we see it - to two different managers.
Standing in a checkout line at dinnertime, 6:30 to 7pm, autistic with copd, neck and neurological injuries. Two white women from falls church area - one a customer and one a checker who are friends or peers of some kind - are chatty-cathying about everything under the sun on their privileged east coast demographic, while the checker intentionally scans her items with excruciating pause. 2 people with carts behind them at dinnertime, on a thursday night.
I patiently wait it out, past the point i look to the person behind me quizzically, past the point that person eventually deserts the line - but no sooner does that happen, then these oblivious entitled women relax a bit more. It was akin to them having conversation at a dance, having a beer with each other, or smoking a cigar.
At the point 5 or 6 or more minutes have expired for a hand basket worth of items - i intervene in the leisure bizarrity - directly and immediately expressing "you guys need to move along - there are people behind you". Instead of apologizing, the checker goes silent and the incredulous customer begins loudly talking over EVERY SINGLE VALUABLE INSERTION TO THE SCENE THAT I MAKE. She instantly blurts to go to another line - as if I'm the one in the wrong. Then immediately loudly objects with : this checker's doing a fantastic job and providing excellent customer service - despite that THE TWO ARE FRIENDS or somehow affiliated. The egregiously entitled utter dirtpile customer talks so loudly over every single thing I try to say in a scene I'm a part of - I have to remove my mask and shout at her to stop talking over me, while waving for a security guard to please approach.
When I do that she interjects even more continuously, poised over her cart like a calm and collected leisure bunny - the entire target world her oyster. The customer immediately begins polishing the checker's non-stop talking about her life history, as great customer service to the latino manager - who quickly caters to the white entitlement, suddenly parroting the customer with : we have other lines open, and she's providing customer service -- having observed the breakdown for LESS THAN 30 SECONDS, and without reviewing film to watch the gross privilege unfold for unending stretch. Go figure 2025.
The customer in question immediately becomes chummy with him - and her gross privilege was permitted to reign supreme one more time in life - even though the vast majority of californians find that antiquated shtick repulsive.
I approached the desk and gave an account of the experience, to an incredibly present, sweet and attentive guest services associate, who encouraged my telling what happened. Privilege is gross - stop reinforcing it, stop enabling it. Review your cameras.