I had a cashier job back in those days too! I had memorized the tax chart! I could make change by counting up! I still do it that way. But we did have a cash register that added up the prices of the items. I never had to do that. A large and glorious cash register, with a large lever on the right to turn the tabs with numbers in the window at the top of the machine, displaying the totals, or subtotals.
I loved my first job too. They taught me work ethics, manners, and how to cook. That job sent me down the path of my ultimate career - food businesses. Once in that business, it can be hard to get out.
Loved reading this! And I love the shawl. It reminds me of the fabric I used to make my prom dress. I wish I had a picture of it to show you, but that picture is only in my head.
A fellow cashier! You were probably a few years behind me, because I think you are a few years younger (I will be 79 this month). It's interesting how cash registers have evolved. They are computers now!
This was a good way for me to get my feet wet in the job market. Throw me into the heart of NYC, learn to deal with the people--all kinds of people--and operate in a high-stress environment. The store was always crowded in those days. They probably assigned me high-traffic hours. I remember people on line didn't enjoy waiting.
I never again worked as a cashier. It always seemed I landed jobs that were not suited to my skills, except once when I worked as a proofreader/researcher.
It does sound like a perfect first job. I imagine you felt proud of yourself then, you seem to feel proud of then-you today.
I will be 71 in a few months.
I had to train cashiers for 25 years. A statistic I once heard said that among every four employees, three of them stole. One took time by falsifying time cards, one took product, and one took money. One was honest. This seems right to me after all the years I was a manager/owner of a variety of food businesses.
If I were to open a business today (god forbid) I would go back to the simplest cash register I could find. I now know that the more bells and whistles on a gadget, the more time you have to spend using/fixing/getting-to-know it. They are surveillance technology, too.
I guess that helps to explain why the store wanted to keep me. Plus, I was really nice to the customers. I seem to be afflicted with a very strong work ethic--even when I hated a job. There were a few of those :).