Welcome to Gaia! ::

It's wonderful, it's magical! A phone in my hand that I can use anywhere and at anytime! ''Hey, Steve? What are you doing later on when ---''

Gah!!!!

Alright, I'm a store clerk. And I can count on my hands no problem that every ten people that walk in my door, every 7-8 have a cell phone glued to their head.

Fine, all well and good. You know, I enjoy walking around a store just looking at stuff while chatting with a friend on the phone. But as I get to the front or come within a radius where I need customer assistance I put the phone away.

Why can there not be more considerate people like this? I mean, those same 7-8 people walk up, phone still in their ear ''Yeah, girl! I was like 'Shut your stupid *** up!' And that shut him up right quick, because ---''

Meanwhile I'm standing there waiting to see what they want. They don't have any groceries, so they must want gas. It takes FOREVER to get their attention and I'm stuck in between the option of speaking up and risk them getting all defensive because I'm ''yelling'' or interrupting their precious phone call and just ignoring them.

''Ma'am, let me know when you're ready...''

And it's just so hard to talk to people or know what they need. Please, anyone who is reading this, please consider your own phone-usage previlages and think about the people around you when you go out. It really makes things easier in public and makes you look less rude and inconsiderate.

I'll try to do the same thing, try to speak as neutrally as possible. And the next person wonders why I'm not smiling and the first person on the phone is practically shoving them out of the way to toss their money at me and a dirty look.

But isn't it even better, when they like don't have their ID and are talkign on the phone, start talking about you and how you give bad customer service for doing your job and jabbering on as if you are not even there? I've had that happen. Tons of times.

I dislike being in line behind customers and clerks who decide to take a 10 minute conversation while there slowly ringing up the products. Seriously people, it's called Kwik Trip for a reason. (or c** and Go or whatever ya'll have). I don't have time to be waiting for the employee to jab away about some nonscence.

Or one time some guy came into BP while I was keeping my friend company at 5 in the mourn, and got at least 10 scratch offs...one at a time...had to ring them up all separate...

For that purpose, I turn and say ''Will there be anything else? While I'm over here?'' as politly as possible.

Now, at five in the morning, in between I'd go ahead and get you out of there. We try our best, but I know the kind of customers that you are talking about.

''Can I have 30 on the mega ball, all on separate tickets?''

No, she was one of the people getting gas or something. If she was the clerk then I would have just lost it and add in a few "******** into my dialog.

I know! And when they try to mouth what they are trying to say to you, it's the worst!

''Jana, yeah, I know and he also told me--'' *pauses to mouth to me 'I need twenty on five'*

Whoever told them I could lip read ,and it's even harder to do when they are literally trying to talk to two people at once, get their words jumbled.

I'm against cellphones. Although I do carry one myself, sometimes. But 6 out of 7 days a week it's dead. But I don't really think it's a good thing being available all the time. Ten years ago nobody had cellphones. They got along just fine. Me, I'm only using my cellphone when I'm going somewhere, and only so my parents won't worry. But as soon as I feel I can take full responsibility of myself, I'm going to throw it away. Probably soon, since my solo trip to Malta next week signifies my "Coming of age" ceremony, the way I see it. But I think they greatly add to the stress of modern society, and should only be used for emergency purposes. Hmm... Now that's an idea...