Tag-Team Bageling

Holy Crap!! I was actually running ahead of schedule this morning, so I decided to stop at the local bagel shop near my office. I pulled into the parking lot with visions of a nice toasty bagel with butter melting on it, along with a hot cup of coffee. Powerful coffee, not office coffee. I proceed into the bagel joint and see that there are two women at the counter ordering, and no line!! What miracle this? The two women were apparently ordering for some sort of office meeting. I had ten minutes before I had to be at work. With no line I should have been in and out and on time to work. Then reality came crashing down.

The two women were apparently using some sort of tag-team technique for ordering bagels. Lets call these ladies W1 and W2 (woman 1, woman2). Their order went like this: W1, "Let's get 3 of the everything bagels." Then she would consult with W2, and W2 would say, "We'll take 5 of the tomato/basil bagels." More consultation, followed by W1's request for 4 more bagels of another variety. This went on to the point where I wanted to tear my hair out and scream until my lungs collapsed. Or just bitch-slap the tag-team. The guy behind the counter didn't seem any happier about it than me. Finally, another employee came along to assist me and the line that had formed behind me. As I'm ordering I hear W2 say, "Is that 39 yet?"

What!!!! You need 39 bagels for your office - okay, I'm fine with that, but a normal person would just come in and ask for, oh say half a dozen of 6 different flavors plus 3 extra of one flavor. Am I wrong to think that's how to do it? Do you seriously need to consult with someone every 4th or 5th bagel??? Next they had to make important decisions about which tubs of cream cheese should be purchased to accompany the bagels. Luckily I had bypassed them at this point and was able to get my coffee and pay before they made it to the cashier. God only knows how long the cream cheese consultation went on. Hmmmm. Maybe they were getting paid in 15 minute increments for their 'consulting' work. Not a bad gig if you can get it.