DEAR ABBY: It happened to me again yesterday. After I had been waiting patiently at the counter of a large department store, another woman came up and stood beside me. The clerk walked over and immediately began to ring up the other woman's purchase. I said, "I was here first!" Both the clerk and the woman apologized, but because the sale had already begun, the salesclerk completed it and I was left waiting.
I am angry about it. I feel stores should have a queue where you get in line in order, or clerks should be instructed to ask, "Who was here first?" I don't want to believe I was passed over because the other woman looked more prosperous than I do, but she was buying a very expensive handbag, while I was purchasing socks that were on clearance. How should that be handled in the future? -- SHOPPER IN KENTUCKY
DEAR SHOPPER: If you have a complaint about service, it should be addressed to the store manager. A well-trained retail salesperson would have asked which of you was there first. The amount you were spending should have made no difference.