I see her as I steer my cart toward her register . . .
Standing before me is a Quentin Blake caricature sprung from Roald Dahl’s mind. Atop her head, a dusty wig clings like a sickly rodent. The breadth of her shoulders must require her to pass sideways through doors. Without greeting me, she begins scanning my items and batting them down the belt. BOINK! BOFF! As my bananas bounce by, she pins me with a glare to indicate that she has finished. I hand her my card. When she returns it with the receipt I smile and venture a “thank you.” The cashier pauses, taking my measure, and then gives a guttural response that does not involve lip movement. Maybe I have cheered her with my courtesy and perhaps she feels bad about her grumpiness, because as I wheel away she tosses me one friendly tidbit–she does not tell me to have a great day.
See Teacher’s Page: Creating a Character for related student activities.
Judith Jango-Cohen 