19.2.14 Shop Interaction

Scene

Local McColl's newsagent.  TMWSC enter the shop carrying a box (parcel) that's labelled and ready to go. There is no one else in the shop, and the woman behind the counter is available to serve, and so accept the parcel.

TMWSC: Nothing said - he simply holds out the box with the label showing, so that the woman can scan the barcode.

Woman: Nothing said - she simply picks up the mobile scanner and scans the barcode.  She then attends to the till and the receipt that's produced.

Woman: "There you are." [She hands over a receipt]

TMWSC: "Thank you."  [He takes the receipt]

TMWSC then moves forward (marginally) to allow the woman to take the box.

Woman: "Is it heavy?"

TMWSC: "It's 9 kilos."

Woman: "I meant can I lift it?"

TMWSC: "Well, I don't know!"

The woman takes the parcel.

Summary

It is seemingly pointless to be specific when dealing with a question relating to an item's weight, when in a McColl's shop.  Apparently the exact weight of a box (when asked for it by a shop assistant) is either "Yes" or "No", and should be offered after an initial assessment, during which there must be an evaluation of the assistant's strength and physical abilities.  The fact that on this occasion TMWSC was standing, and holding the box without any effort for a short while before presenting it to the assistant, counted for absolutely nothing, as the assistant was unable to gauge whether TWMSC was unduly strong, or performing some sort of David Blaine miracle.  It was thus necessary for her to squeeze information from TMWSC but the brief interrogation was pointless, as the unit of measurement required was neither imperial not metric, but basically 'binary' - "yes" or "no".  TMWSC was not feeling very psychic, or otherwise gifted, and so even if he'd known that the woman was after a single word, he was unable to tell whether the dozy bugger would be able to lift it because her BMI to muscle ratio was camouflaged by the tired looking uniform.

It is a sad day when an exact weight is of absolutely no use to someone, and so it can be deduced that to gain employment at a corner shop, there is no need for any understanding or awareness of real life and actual weights.  I believe there is a need to be able to count, and operate a till, but any other levels of awareness or general life skills constitutes a 'bonus'.  On this occasion, no bonus element was forthcoming.

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