Neighbors: With every customer, there’s a chance to ring up a little happiness for Walmart cashier Bowen – Jacksonville Journal-Courier

David Blanchette,Contributor

June 6, 2022

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Torrey Bowen is one of the more popular cashiers at the Walmart store in Jacksonville.

There are customers who, fortunately or unfortunately, will stand in my line, and other cashiers will say Im empty, but the customers will say no and stay in my line, Bowen said. Sometimes I have an exceptionally long line because they want to come through. I love it, its wonderful.

The 50-year-old Bowen has been a Walmart employee for 18 years. Bowen has built a loyal customer following because he always has a positive attitude and is willing to shoot the breeze with anyone who comes through his line.

Bowen has also had cerebral palsy since birth.

There are limitations. The store knows, the customers know, and I know, Bowen said, but I am willing to try anything whether I can do it or not do it. Because how will you know if youre going to be able to do it if you dont try.

I use crutches at home, I can walk as long as I use my crutches or am holding onto something or somebody, and I can get up and down, Bowen said. Most of the time at the register Im sitting down in my wheelchair when there is nobody in my lane, then I stand up when people come through.

Bowen was born and raised in the Pekin area and lives with his wife in Virginia. He worked for six years at a nursing home before deciding he wanted a less-stressful job. Bowen heard that Walmart was hiring and filled out an application.

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I had two interviews and honestly I didnt think they would call. When they did, I was shocked, Bowen said. One of the questions on the application that I filled out was, where do you think you will be in five years? I was thinking, theres no way theyre going to keep me five years. Now, 18 years later, Im still here.

Bowen drives himself to work in Jacksonville for his 40-hour work week at Walmart. He has worked every shift and has been a cashier, checkout host, and service desk clerk, but prefers being a cashier.

What I like doing is being in action with my customers so thats what I have stuck with, Bowen said. You find a niche and you stay with it.

Bowen has become adept at instantly judging the amount of conversation in which Walmart customers wish to engage.

You know in the first five seconds whether they are a talkative person or a non-talkative person and you have to adjust from there, Bowen said. Some people come up to you and they just want to check their stuff out and go, and Im fine with that. But most of the people I get, they just want to talk.

Some of Bowens regular customers like to give him some good-natured ribbing as they wait in his line to be checked out.

They like to have fun and say hey come on, you need to speed up! Bowen said. And I joke back, this wonderful person right here, Ive got to take care of them, Ill get to you in a second'.

Sometimes, though, customers arent joking and get impatient with Bowen because his cerebral palsy can occasionally slow things down. In 18 years I can probably count a handful of situations where something happened that was not positive. I mean, were talking maybe five, Bowen said. I look at people who have had other issues with cashiers and I just have to laugh because most of the people that I dealt with, they dont care.

Bowen said that working a 40-hour week with cerebral palsy can be exhausting, and sometimes by the end of the week he is more likely to experience muscle aches and fatigue. But he has never thought about giving up his job.

I could sit at home now and collect Social Security Disability, but I dont want to do that. Its just not in my makeup, Bowen said. I could sit there and think poor me, I cant do this, but Im not going to accomplish anything in life with that attitude.

I consider myself to be blessed, Bowen said. This is what I was given, and you have to do the best with what youve got.

Bowen credits Walmart for giving him the chance to show that he was capable of working at the store, and he loves seeing and talking to his customers and fellow workers.

I am me. What you see is what you get. I enjoy every single one of my customers that come through on a regular basis, Bowen said. I just try to treat people like I want to be treated, understanding, sympathetic and knowledgeable.

He says it's important to find peace, tranquility and happiness where you can.

I do it because I love my people," he said. "And without the people, you have no job anyway.

Excerpt from:
Neighbors: With every customer, there's a chance to ring up a little happiness for Walmart cashier Bowen - Jacksonville Journal-Courier