Let's start at the very beginning

Many of you have asked me how did all of this start and what sort of training is involved in becoming a cashier? Ok, I'll be honest--no one has really asked me that but I thought I would talk about it anyway. I have sort of touched on this before but here is the full story. As many decisions having to do with a second job it all started with money (or lack thereof). I had taken a look at my check book and my most recent bank statement (complete with a few overdraft charges)...I was also facing the realization that I probably wasn't going to be getting a raise from boss at the law firm anytime soon (especially considering some people in our office had been layed off recently). I thought, "Time to get a second job." It was harsh. One of the reasons I had gone to law school was so that I could make a living and support myself and a second job was just never really part of that equation but that's what I was faced with. I sucked it up and spent a Saturday afternoon in early February applying for various jobs and thought a grocery store would be a good fit because it would allow me to work nights while keeping my "real" "professional" job. Weeks passed and to be honest I had completely forgotten about applying for the cashier job. Then in the last week of February my cell phone rang and an unidentified number showed up on my caller id. I answered and it was Julie from the grocery store. She told me that the cashier who had worked nights was leaving and called because my availability was primarily nights. We set up an interview time and I have to admit I had mixed feelings going into the interview. The interview went well. When Julie asked me why I was interested in the job I told her I was looking for a second job with a flexible schedule to help pay back student loans and she said she was actually working this as a second job as a way to pay bills, too. She liked that I had previous grocery store experience and asked when I could start. And there you had it---easy as pie--that was my official reintroduction to the grocery store business. I went home feeling a strange mixture of gratitude (for a little extra income) and depression.

A week later my orientation was scheduled. The orientation was long...about 4 hours. We watched videos on store policies and procedures, safety procedures, sexual harassment. During our scheduled break I went to use the employee bathroom. I walked into the stall and there was a large sign posted that said, "Please remember to flush toilet after using." I didn't know whether to laugh or cry...but the urge to cry was very, very strong! Did I really have to work at a place that had to remind people to flush the toilet after they used it? Isn't that something that most people over the age of 3 already know? What the hell had I gotten myself into here? But I took a deep breath, splashed some water on my face and went out to face the music. Another 2 hours of orientation videos and some training on the register and I was out there on my own.