The One Millionth Customer

The nurse Tina O'Brien waited in the queue to buy her groceries; there was just enough money in her purse to pay for the meagre food she could afford. Her loan had not come through, and she was starting university on Monday.

Tina sighed to herself; this surviving day today had to stop, this loan must come through, or I will waste away, she thought to herself. The lady in front of Tina had a vast trolley full of food.

At last, the lady in front of her started to unload her trolley onto the conveyor belt. The amount of food she had would have lasted Tina at least three weeks, and then there would still be some left. Tina put the plastic divider onto the conveyor belt and put her shopping on to the conveyor belt. The lady in front paid.

'Good afternoon, how are you today,' said the smiling check out, lady.

'I am very well thanking you, how are you?' asked Tina.

'Oh, I am very well, thank you, I will be glad to get finished here; it's been jam-packed today,' replied the checkout lady.

Tina watched the items being scanned and opened her bag to put the things in, no need to spend more money to get plastic bags. I want to save the planet from plastic as well, thought Tina.

'Do you want any cashback on your debit card?' asked the checkout lady.

'Oh, no, thank you not today,' replied Tina.

The checkout lady's till opened when Tina paid her bill; as she shut the till the red-light top of a metal pole started flashing. This lady started running towards the till, what now thought Tina my card payment has gone through okay.

The lady running towards Tina was a floor manager; she grabbed Tina's hand and shook it. 'Congratulations, you are our one-millionth customer, and you have won a prize.'

'Really,' said a shocked Tina, 'what have I won?'

'You have won ￡200 to spend in the store, but you have to spend it now before you leave,' said the floor manager.

'Thank you very much,' said Tina, 'can I go and choose it now?'

'You can,' said the manager.

'Do I get a voucher for ￡200?' asked Tina.

'You do, give me a minute to go and pick it up for you,' replied the floor manager.

Tina smiled to herself ￡200 that would keep her going very well until the loan comes through.

The floor manager returned with the store manager, who insisted on kissing Tina on the cheek. Tina found her photograph taken by a photographer who had suddenly appeared. Then the Store Manager handing over the voucher to Tina and having another photograph taken. Oh, joy, thought Tina; it is going to be a good week this week, and if the loan comes through, it will be even better.

Tina walked around the aisles picking up all the items that she had wanted to buy before and came back to the same checkout with her trolley a lot fuller than the last visit; she handed over the ￡200 voucher and went home happy.

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