Monday, January 18th, 2021

Only one checkout line is open at the supermarket at the Heart of the City. As I approach it, the cashier walks away. He’s in the midst of ringing someone up. A man stands between the checkout and me. He doesn’t have a bag or basket. His arms are full of groceries. While we wait, several more people get in line behind me. Some change their minds and go over to the self-scanners. I would use them but I have some meat that I’m not sure how to scan. This weekend will be a good time to make a cholent. I want to try out my new card. The text message with the link to the PIN code finally arrived yesterday. The instantaneous can take a while here. The man in front of me drops his groceries on the floor. Nothing breaks. He stomps out of the store shouting in what might be Vietnamese. I move up to where he was. I start placing my groceries on the conveyor belt. The cashier eventually returns. He speaks to the customer whose purchase was in progress. “So you want to cancel all this?” She nods. He moves her groceries to the aisle behind him and rings me up. He scans my card when he’s done. He never asks for the PIN number. Since it’s my first purchase with the new card, I get seventy-five shekels off. That’s good. I pack up my groceries and leave. Looking back, I see several customers waiting. No one has picked up what the shouting man dropped. No other lines have opened. The customers don’t look happy.