#Irony April 8

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For the month of April several of us are taking on the “30-Day Conversation Coach4aday Challenge“. Today’s dialog is communication full of IRONY.

If we look hard enough, we often can find comic relief thru the irony of life.

Today’s post is more of an observation than reliving actual banter.

April Conversation Challenge

The overarching aim for the 30-Day Conversation Coach4aday Challenge is to engage or to repeat conversations and disseminate them. Whether these conversations hold valuable lessons, shareable insights, or are simply a mishmash of thoughts, the goal remains to foster connection and potential learning experiences for all involved.

Rules of the Challenge

First brevity is the key. Second it is not necessary to fully identify the parties involved but writing it like a script might be helpful. Third the conversations being shared can come from personal experiences, books, films, TV shows, or are imaginations.

Do this daily for 30 Days posting on social media with the hashtag #Coach4adayChallenge

April 8th-Irony at the Checkout Line

In the weeks preceding Easter, I found myself needing to run a quick errand to purchase a single item. I headed to a discount store (not Walmart) where I managed to locate the item for less than $5.00. The store was filled with piped-in music, creating a pleasant atmosphere. Upon reaching the checkout area, I observed that only one register was open, and I found myself as the third customer in line.

What ensued was a blend of laughter and tears. The initial customer ahead of me had six items but struggled to recall her PIN, resulting in a slowdown for all of us. However, the real spectacle was the following customer, laden with over 50 small Easter-themed items, most priced under $1.00. As she underwent checkout, the line behind me burgeoned from three to five, and eventually to eight people.

The Perceived Intervention

With the line steadily lengthening, the manager entered through the front door, making an announcement and leaving a note at the front desk. I hoped his declaration, something akin to “Code 22 at the front desk,” would prompt relief for the cashiers, anticipating a swift resolution to expedite my departure from the store. However, my hopes were misplaced. Following the announcement, the manager and another employee promptly exited the premises. To my surprise, within a mere three minutes, not one, but five employees converged at the front desk to inspect the note left by the manager.

That piece of paper or Code 22 was the next weeks schedule. Not one of the five employees recognized or acknowledged the growing line at the single checkout location which was no more than 10 feet from them. They all wandered back to some other part of the store. I wanted to scream.

The Finale

The Easter novelty shopper in front of me had so many items in her basket that she had to take them out in small batches which slowed the process down. The cashier was suffering from one of the worst case of laryngitis I had ever heard so she could not call out for HELP. The poor lady could not speak.

The escalating frustration and anger among the growing number of customers behind me was palpable. Following the employees’ departure after checking their work schedule, several customers in line followed suit and left the store. It became evident that there was no HELP forthcoming. Six out of the eight customers queued behind me opted to exit through the front door without completing a purchase. Whether indicative of a broken store culture or apathetic employees, it was clear that leadership intervention was sorely needed for both the store and its manager.

At that precise moment, the background music streaming through the store’s intercom chose to serenade us with a Beatles classic, crafting a pinnacle of irony that I had never before encountered.