Honesty, Should It Be All Or Nothing?

Against the crowd...

When we were in town the other day, our last stop as always was at Hofer ( an Aldi-supermarket chain ubiquitous in most parts of the world ). It is a big business and somehow is more an entity instead of a shop belonging to someone.

Bob and I have a game that involves guessing how much a particular shop amounts to before it disappears on the conveyor belt. We are even Stevens. At times we mention our guesssing game to the cashier and a few have also participated. Makes a change to their monotonous routine. Because of the game, I tend to stand where I can see the amounts tally up. Bob usually is the one packing the trolley.

So as I am following the entries on the till display ( more like a mini computer screen ) in my mind I am gauging how much the rest of the items would come to, when I noticed a mishap. A cashier's mishap. We had bought two of the same items.

" Excuse me, ( heads behind me were snapping about into my direction, sensing problems ahead ) I think you have forgotten to scan this item twice. "

I don't think the cashier took me seriously or she might have thought that I'd accused her of charging us too much because she scanned a few more items and then halted to check, look and check again before a new expression crossed her face. An expression of surprise, awe and novelty...

" Thank you so much for pointing it out. I had only scanned it once. "

Behind me people in the queue had an expressions of; how stupid to point it out. She could have gotten it for free. How foolish. Well, once you know a thing isn't right or honest, telling is the right thing. Yes, Hofer / Aldi are swimming in moolah and a lost euro wouldn't have made any difference to them but it would have made one to me. Once you know it's wrong...you just know!

Biggi