Does Leaving the Line Not Void Your Place in It Anymore?

My wife is turning one of our closets into an apartment for the cat, so we went to Lowe’s for some materials. She needed a piece of lumber cut to 66.5”, so I went to get it cut down for her while she found other materials. The board cutting area was empty, so I pushed the button for help and waited for the worker. I wait for a couple minutes. Boomer 1 comes around the corner, complaining about nobody being around to cut her wood. I mean, that is what the button is for, but whatever. Boomers don’t understand technology as advanced as a giant button that says “PUSH FOR HELP.”

Another couple minutes pass. Boomer 2 and her Boomer-sympathizing daughter walk up next, whom I had just seen in another area. After another minute or so passes, the worker comes. I say, “Sixty six and a half, please,” and go to hand him my board.

“I was first!” Boomer 1 exclaims.

“She was first!” Boomer 2 and her flying monkey chime in.

I step out of the way and let Boomer 1 complain about how the “size you all cut for me was wrong” (whose fault is that lol), tap the worker on the shoulder while he’s using the saw, and get her two boards cut. She’s doing the “can you believe this guy” hand gestures the whole time he is cutting her boards, though it is unclear what he is doing wrong.

He turns to me. “Sixty six and a half, please,” I repeat, handing him my single piece of lumber.

Boomer 2’s happy little helper loudly says, “I guess she can go first,” while Boomer 2 scoffs.

I ignore them. Worker cuts my board. I thank him, and I leave.

I’m sorry, when did the basic rules of lines change? You walk away, you lose your spot in line. There is no “take a number,” like at pappaw’s bakery. You don’t get to go browse and keep your spot. You want service, you wait for it.

Were these people born in a barn?