From a Missing Duck Leg to a Rude Cashier
Last year I was going to the Eastvale 99Ranch Market to grocery shop and then to buy their roasted whole duck. There was always this elderly man who would take the whole duck into a section of the store where you cannot see him and he would chop the duck for you. It would come back already in an aluminum tray with a cover. During my subsequent purchase of a roast duck, the same old man took the duck to chop it. When I got home, I was looking at the tray and thought I didn't get as much duck as the previous time even when I usually picked the largest one hanging in that glass case. I was not exactly a master of the duck's anatomy, but I knew the duck had two wings, two thighs, two legs, and so on. I realized I was missing a duck's leg. Because of the sparse amount of meat pieces, I suspected more pieces were taken from the roast duck I paid for. The other pieces were difficult to identify as missing, but he made a mistake of taking one leg which was very obvious. The next time I went back for another roasted duck, I told the lady I was buying it from that I did not want the duck chopped. It was the only way I could be sure no one would take some pieces of it. It was a hassle chopping the whole roasted duck once I got home so I decided the next time to go to the 99Ranch in Corona where they actually chop the duck you purchase right there in front of you. It's a longer drive for me, but I did not want anyone stealing pieces of the duck I paid for. I told the man who chopped the roasted duck I purchased at the Corona 99 Ranch about my experience at the Eastvale branch and he laughed. I laughed too. I figured, the man probably needed a snack. Tonight I was at the Eastvale store to buy some vegetables and groceries. Asian cashiers are usually very reserved and their communication is usually limited to: "Do you have a membership card" and "Thank you". I really do not mind the very limited exchange and in fact like it. No one is feigning interest in how your life is going by asking how you are doing, etc. Tonight was different. The cashier was probably having a bad day because she was tossing each piece of my purchases like she was disgusted. She stopped when she noticed I was staring at her, and subsequently deliberately/slowly put the next items down after scanning them. I paid and she did not say thank you and neither did I. I was on cashier #5 transaction # 304679. I actually like shopping at 99Ranch. The store is clean and they have a very good selection of produce and meat. They also have a good bakery. On a normal day, I would give this market a 5 out of 5 star rating. Today, after the cashier's rudeness, a 2 star is all I am giving. I did not even complain about the missing duck leg. I should have.
