For two years I worked at the local Piggly Wiggly in a small town just outside of Birmingham. It wasn't a bad job, as far as first jobs go, but it definitely wasn't an easy one. Being a cashier should be easy though, right? I mean, all you have to do is politely greet the customer, scan the groceries and put them in bags, press buttons and give back change, and tell the customer to have a nice day. In theory, it should always be that simple, and it is when the customers are nice. It's when customers start being rude that suddenly you're dealing with way more than you're paid to deal with.

To the customers who are nice to cashiers and other grocery store employees, and to those who have made me smile or even laugh on an otherwise lousy day, thank you so much for being a decent human being. But this letter isn't for you, it's for those customers who treat cashiers like punching bags.

If you have ever been rude to a cashier, you really ought to be ashamed of yourself. Don't say we're paid to put up with your abuse because we're not. We're paid $7.25 an hour to scan and bag groceries and to make sure they are paid for. We're paid to be polite to customers and help them with whatever they need help with. We're paid to make sure the money in our till doesn't come up short. We are not, however, paid to be cussed out or yelled at by people like you. That we have to do for free. So if you don't know how to be nice to a grocery store employee, here are some tips that might help you out:

Don't curse at us. It's a shame I even have to say this, but I've been cussed out for the dumbest things. If the machine won't read your credit or debit card, that's not my fault. Also, I don't set the prices for merchandise so yelling profanities at me about your "overpriced" bottle of Coke won't make the price go down.

Don't hit on us. Back in high school, I, along with other girls I worked with, constantly had to put up with middle aged men acting inappropriately toward us, only to turn several shades of red when they realized we were underage. I suggest saving yourself the legal trouble you could wind up in and just stop.

Don't yell at us. I'm not in charge of the mayonnaise on the shelf that expires in two days, so please don't come to me yelling about the almost-expired condiment and asking how you're supposed to eat all of that mayonnaise in two days. My answer will be to eat a lot of sandwiches, and then you'll be even more angry. Just buy a different jar of mayonnaise, and then everyone will be happy.

Be out of the store before closing. I cannot stress this enough. After a seven-hour shift, I'm ready to go home and eat with my family or hang out with my friends and live my life outside of work. If my shift is 2-9, I expect to be home before 10:00. Don't be that person, because that person is selfish and inconsiderate and disliked by all grocery store employees. Don't do it. If you can't make it before closing, go to Walmart. They're open all night, and they're cheaper.

Sincerely,

A (former) disgruntled grocery store cashier