My Bubble

We have all had the chance to use the self-checkout at our local Meijer, Walmart, Payless or wherever your run in and run out shopping trip takes you. I find it most humorous that each time I use the self-checkout I am doing so in an attempt to leave the store sooner and it never fails that there is some hang-up with the register (or maybe it's the user). Yesterday I decided to try my luck at the self-checkout again. Everything went very smooth - the scanner scanned each of my items correctly, it took my coupons, and even recognized all of my items when I placed them in the bag. This is where I let you in on the outer details of the self-check experience. I'm sure you are well aware of "the next person in line" while you are checking out. There are some that casually stand and look at a magazine or talk to those that were shopping with them, then their are those that stand at attention ready to pounce on the register as soon as you pick up your last bag and reciept, still others will stare at you with menacing eyes wishing you would move just a little faster because anything they have to do must be more important that what you have to do, and then there are those who creep. I'll explain the creeper in detail because I just had my first experience with a "creeper" last night. I was hurriedly checking out my items as I always tend to do because most people I feel are staring me down while I check out, and through their eyes I can feel them wishing I would hurry up. The creeper starts out at the normal distance away, and then with each item you scan they creep closer and closer to the check out. Each time they inch closer they get into position to scan their own items. In my case last night, "the creeper" was standing right beside me with his items as I hit the finish & pay button with my shaky finger. My finger was shaky because "the creeper" had creeped into my bubble! AHHH! I couldn't believe this guy was so close. I couldn't concentrate because I was so flabbergasted that he had actually crept so close as to be breathing on my last items as they were run across the scanner. I am not good with people in my personal space and he had crossed the line. I hesitated and thought that maybe I should tell him he needed to step back, but I was in such a rush to get my space back that I just split - plus, what if he was one of those close talkers on top of being a line creeper! Double AHHHH! I hope your next self-check experience proves to be a pleasant one.