Check Me Out

At the start of every SPEC retreat, we go around and introduce our team. We share some things about ourselves and such.... some stick to one intro, I often randomly share whatever it is I want to that day. Oftentimes funny stories go over well- and this month brought me one I now found myself sharing in my intro....

A handful of us had gone out to "Home Base", a Lowes/HomeDepot type store to shop for paint for SPEC's redecorating project. While there, I picked up some Frebreeze. (Nothing like spraying some casually on your sheets and clothes!) I made my way to the check out. That is, what they call in England a "till." I have become very aware of this fact. I am becoming more confident at tills now that I have a firm grasp on the shapes of all the different English coins. As I approached the till at Home Base, there was a good lookin' guy behind the counter. Probably too young for me, but I digress....
I stepped up to the counter and not thinking twice asked, "Can you check me out??" While this question might come out a little funny in the States, it came out a lot funny in a country that doesn't even call it a check out. The poor chap looked confused...until I broke the silence with my All-American smile. He eventually said, "Ohhh! Are you from America??" (My All-American smile worked!) We continued some small talk-- the exchange is often the same.. I mention I'm from Pittsburgh he replies with something he knows about Pennsylvania (usually Philadelphia)-- yada yada yada. I think he was smitten.

And that was the day I stood with Frebreeze in hand and asked to be checked out by a young man at an English till.