From a distance, I was sizing her up. The shop was a new outlet. New, young innocent, fresh staff.
All situations that are just ripe for the killing.
Pushing my quarter filled trolley up to the counter, ( easy does it don't rush )
she gave me a nonchalant look from the corner of her eye.
Half distracted, her head tilted upwards towards an entertainment screen in the hallway. Obviously, she sensed that I was up to something.
Damn.....element of surprise lost.
Still I wheeled up and parked myself in front of the counter.
Me : " Miss.....do you have any free gift for whatever it is that I purchased here ?"
She : looks into my trolley and shakes her head " No "
Me : " awwww....what about older promotion premiums, that people didn't claim "
She : ( why this woman making my life difficult when I'm trying to watch the programme ? ) " No "
Me : "laaaaa.....really nothing at all ? "
She : gives me an exasperated look and fishes this full sized tube out ( see below ) from her desk
Me : grinning painfully I give her a half hearted " Thank you " with a giddy look that looked like confused constipation. Oh ....this one was used to people like me.