Didn't you realize you'd have to pay?

One or twice a month I have the same thing happen to me. I get into what I think will be the shortest line... the operative word here is think. I shouldn't think anymore because obviously my brain is failing at an alarming rate. The cashier finishes scanning the items for the person in front of me in the "short" line and gives them their total and then it happens. The woman, and yes, it is always a woman, says, "OH, ummm, ok..." in such a way that I truly believe that the total is a huge surprise to her. She then opens her huge deep bottomless purse and starts rummaging around for a minute or so for her checkbook. Once the checkbook has been located she then begins digging for a pen. After a few more minutes she asks the cashier if they have a pen since she can't find hers.

One a pen is obtained, she begins to write the check. "What was the total?", "Who do I make it out to?", "What's the date?" she asks.

Once the check has been handed over they again looked surprised to be asked for their license and have to dig around to find that.

While this scenario has happened many times before, this week I was behind a woman who filled out the entire check, turned back to her check register and filled that all in BEFORE she tore the check out and give it to the cashier!!!

Just once I would like to get in a line where the check has been filled out while they were standing in line and they had their license out and ready to go. Maybe we could take the airport security idea of having expert lanes and family/infrequent shopper lanes? That's an idea.

All I know is that it truly takes every bit of my patience not to ask them, "Didn't you realize you'd have to pay and that you were going to write a check?". Obviously the answer would have been, NO.