Scenes From a Price Rite

I had to stop at Price Rite to pick up a couple of things I forgot over the weekend; I don't usually shop there Monday mornings.
I was greeted by some new hard rock style music over the intercom, something I never hear at Price Rite. This segued into "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven)," by Van Morrison, an all-time favorite of mine which definitely lightened my step. The next song? An urban/funk number by a female vocalist I didn't recognize, and I wish I did, because it was pretty good.
After getting my three items, I entered the "express" line for people with 12 items or less. There were six people ahead of me as the line snaked toward the other checkout lines, and five people quickly lined up behind me.
After a couple of minutes, a female Price Rite employee unchained the line to the register next to the "express" line and said, "this express line is open." Before any of us in line for a few minutes could even move, three people with carts all but stampeded to the new line, and the next two customers, with just a couple of items in their hands, did the cartoon classic of trying to get in the small space at the same time and had to maneuver to get out of each other's way.
I noticed that the woman in line behind me had the same bemused look on her face as I figured I did, and we ended up having a conversation on the lost arts of courtesy, respect, cell phones, kids today and so on.
I haven't stopped shaking my head yet, or laughing at my own reaction.