Aethelwyn was a competent meyr of the sea. More competent than most, from almost any ocean. Her people were resourceful and fierce, adaptable to changing tides and seasons. She was older than any human creature walking the earth today, and wiser than most. Aethelwyn had faced down stiff competition, tamed fierce sea creatures, and read all the books in her mother’s library.
But she still could not figure out self checkouts.
The line for the regular cashier had been very long, and Aethelwyn was in no mood to wait. There was a time and a place to practice patience, but this was not it. All she wanted was to pay for her produce--since it seemed to go bad so quickly, she was constantly having to buy more--and be on her way.
While she was standing in the line for the mortal to look at her items and tell her how much currency she had to pay in exchange, she had noticed a line going much quicker to the left of her. There, it seemed machines were used in place of the human. Always one for a new experience--and increased efficiency--Aethelwyn took her basket (another thing she couldn’t understand: she had brought a bag to put her items in, but had to use the basket from the establishment prior to paying), and moved over. A grave error.
Many minutes had passed, and the usually calm, and composed daughter of the sea was starting to feel like a complete imbecile. Items were not ‘scanning’ correctly, and then the machine seemed to berate her for not putting them in the correct place after entering them into the computer’s system. She could hear the grumblings of people behind her, and only just managed to keep from throwing a baleful glance in their direction. She could not blame them for being impatient; she was impatient.
A body came into her field of vision, and she turned her head quickly, blonde hair flashing over her shoulder, face tight. “It is this stupid machine!” she reported, gesturing impatiently, and trying to hide her embarrassment and frustration. “I am going as fast as I can.”
Don’t apologize. Apologies indicate weakness. You have nothing to be sorry for. You are a Regent of the Arkic. It is the idiotic human invention that is inconveniencing you and everyone else.