This post is out of the usual food, life, travel stuff. I am putting it here just in case someone out there recorded what happened in SM City Lucena Grocery Store January 7, 2020 at around 8PM and edits it out for a version that is convenient for just one-side.
For those who know me, I am pretty sure you have an idea that I always try to do and choose what is fair and proper. Even if it means having to sacrifice something like convenience, money, and most importantly - TIME. I am not perfect but if there's a line to get to something, I would be glad to wait in line if I think it is worth it.
So, back to the incident earlier. My wife picked up a few things that we need for our home. When she's done shopping, she asked me to take the blue basket and pay for it while she goes out to get a DD coffee. So I went ahead and entered the Blue Basket line for the blue basket cashiers. These lines have these blue barrier ropes and at the end of it, a sign that clearly says "PLEASE WAIT".
And wait I did.
Now after that Please Wait sign, we have 2 blue basket counters allocated for those in line. I repeat:
1 Line
2 Counters
In Japan, this setup is very common in convenience stores. People line up in one line and wait behind a marked area, and then once a cashier becomes available, whichever of the 2 comes first, the next person waiting in the marked area can go ahead and do the next transaction. EASY. First In First Out.
Now, here's the setting earlier. Counter A had 2 customers already in that small slot - one already being serviced, Counter B had 2 customers as well - one also already being serviced.
Counter B finished with the first customer first, and the next customer only had a few items compared to the one still being serviced at Counter A. The second customer in Counter A also only had a few items. so:
Counter A: 1 customer being serviced with lots of stuff, 1 customer waiting with a few things
Counter B: 1 customer being serviced with a few things
Marked area where it says "Please Wait": Me, a 40+ year old lady, a 30+ year old guy, and an at least 16 yo male student.
The 40+ yo lady insinuated "o, puwede na sa kabila o!" (oh, the other one is now available!). I heard it but did not react because:
1. That's not true, there are still others being serviced.
2. Even if the one in Counter B finishes first, there's still a customer waiting behind Counter A that should be serviced first because she came before me.
So I did not move an inch and whistled Araw-araw by Ben&Ben. Not a minute after, the student went under the rope barrier and went behind the customer being serviced in Counter B. Unfortunately for him:
1. My peripheral vision game is strong.
2. I am not dumb.
3. I am at a point in my life where I have no problems calling out douches.
I said to the kid, "utuy, nakapila din kami, ayun ang pila sa likod" (hey lad, we're also waiting in line, there's the end of the line)
The boy gave this awkward smile and went back to the end of the line. After this, the 40 yo lady then said "ayun na e o, puwede ka nang sumunod dun!" (look, you can now go next)
Still not true as the situation is still
Counter A: 1 customer is still being serviced and STILL with lots of stuff, 1 customer waiting with a few things
Counter B: 1 customer still being serviced with a few things - ALMOST DONE
Marked area where it says "Please Wait": Me, a 40+ year old lady, a 30+ year old guy, and an at least 16 yo male student, and a few more
So now, she clearly is talking to me and I can now respond. In a calm way but well-modulated voice (well enough so others would hear), "ma'am nakalagay po dito, PLEASE WAIT. Kung pipila po ako dun, uunahan ko naman si ate at hindi tama yun." (ma'am, it says here PLEASE WAIT. If I am to proceed, I will cut the line and go before the girl in front of me and that is not proper)
And then I said to the girl in front of me because she cannot see the situation in the other counter, "ma'am patapos na dito sa kabila, kasunod ka na" (ma'am, the other counter is almost done, you're up next). She gave this beautiful smile and thanked me and then moved to the other counter.
The 40yo lady kept mum for a while after that. So now things moved, I am now in Counter A, 40yo lady in Counter B and she is still mumbling things to the cashier about the line.
I know some people will think, get off your high horse and that sort of stuff. Why? Because I did what is proper? The problem with us is that most of us Filipinos want change as long as that change does not affect our convenience.
Actually, I would rephrase that, most of us Filipinos want change as long as that change does not affect our convenience and we can still take advantage and get ahead of others.
I still believe it is not too late for us as a nation to change. We can learn to wait in line. We can learn to think of other people's welfare. So I won't get off the high horse and will invite you to climb on that horse with me instead.
To the 16yo+ student, I had to teach you that lesson. And you are the reason I am writing this entry. I am concerned that you somehow have taken a video of the incident and somehow able to twist things so it will go viral - which is the problem with the youth today, they all want to go viral and go about things without considering the consequences.
This is my checkmate post, timestamped, without edits.
Cheers,
Chewy
