Check Out how to Check Out

Cookie sometimes get nostalgic for the good old days and the things that made life better.  Like when the check out employees would check you out and pay attention to their jobs instead of discussing their private lives with the person on the other register next to them. 

Cookie enjoys full service.  In all things.  I give it when I work it, retail that is.  It shows that your are professional, and it tells the customer they matter.

And the customer doesn't want to hereabouts what a douche nozzle "Gary" is, or whether or not someone named Tyrone is down with the plans for tomorrow night. 

No, I live in a world where Tyrone is either Tyrone Power, or Lady Tyrone of Carolina's, not Tyrone DuBois (DUE-boys) is full of shee-it.

Unfortunately, none of the checkers that work in even the stuffiest groceries in Baltimore have any poise.  They are all just surly.

In the film above, we meet three past International Checker of the Year award winners, an honor awarded by the Super Market Institute. 

And no, I am not kidding.

Ruth Bussey, (no, not Ruth Buzzy) a Cashier at B&B Stores, Tampa, International Checker of the Year for 1964 at the convention held at McCormick Place in Chicago. Pat Hilton, of Alpha Beta stores in California, and Rose Scalavino of Star Markets, Cambridge, Massachusetts, the 1962 and 1963 title holders respectively, also appear.  Each sets a fine example for the new girl on the block, "Miss Jones" who aspires to the glory and glamour of holding the title, International Checker of the Year.

In Cookie's mind, contestants would be judged on their appearance, customer service skills, fingering technique in keying prices, and whether or not they faced the bills in their cash drawers. All would do these tasks in their uniforms and smocks, all freshly pressed and starched.   Bagging, of course would be judged.  As would weighing and shopper's loyalty card scanning.   Problem solving, and keeping their scanning windows would also be judged. 

But that got me started thinking about the evening gown competition.  Surly there would have to be one, I mean this was 1964.  So there would need to be a formal attire walk on the runway.  Would their sash's have their names, or the name of their store emblazoned on it?  Would they glide or clump along the runway into the adoring crowd?

And for the swimsuit portion, would they be required to wear stilettos, or their crepe rubber work wedgies?

What about those questions?  I wonder how Pat Hilton answered her random question, asked by the tuxedo'd host, on what it means to be a checker. 

"Mrs. Hilton, who would you like to check out through your line, and how could that make the world a better place for less fortunate people?"

And then, the host would pick the winner, bestowing her an adding machine, and her "Tillie" award.

Mrs. Bussey got a trip to Hawaii. The runners up get a trip to Hollywood....Florida.

What about screen tests?  Endorsements?  Did they attend high school events to inspire the next generation of checker outters?

It all seems so dead end. Here's your prize, best of luck, mmmmm bye.

If you actually watch the video, and you should, pay attention to the middle aged woman who is cashing a check and causing Miss Jones all manner of consternation.  The actress is none other than Fran Ryan, a veteran of TV and Movies.  Ms. Ryan usually played crusty but lovable types, upper crust ladies who are the foil for comediennes and the like.  Like Reta Shaw and Elvia Allman, if you grew up in the 1950s through the 1970s, you knew the face, but never knew the name.   

I know that they still have bagging championships, but since the advent of just scanning an item, I think that International Checker of the Year is a valid contest, but it would, I think, inspire today's Cashiers to focus on their job and customers instead of whether or not "Donwell is nasty man." or we just wanted our stuff in "paper or plastic."