Next Please

The supermarket lights are too bright. The checkout beeps are too loud. Your mom said she’d be right back—just one more thing. But the queue moved too fast. Now it’s your turn. The cashier is waiting. The people behind you are waiting. A mountain of groceries sits on the belt, and your pockets are empty. Every second stretches into an eternity. What do you do? What can you do? Your heart is pounding in your ears, louder than everything else. This is fine. Everything is fine.