(Strip Number 7204, Original Publication Date, 15 December 1985)
Panel 1: We find Elly at Philpotts' cosmetics counter tapping her fingers at the counter while the clerk stares at the cash register.¨
Panel 2: Elly rolls her eyes when the woman apologizes for not quite figuring out how to work the blasted thing.
Panel 3: As the girl fumbles with the machine, Elly rolls her eyes and thought-bubbles about how incredible the poor thing is.
Panel 4: When Elly asks for something called "frosty prune lip-pusher," the young lady wonders if she even has it in stock.
Panel 5: Rage-faced Elly tells her that she's got it in the display case.
Panel 6: She then tells another another woman "What would SHE know? She's only been here two months!" in an effort to demean the clerk.
Panel 7: She then grumbles about the person's clumsiness at filling out the receipt.
Panel 8: She finishes off by suggesting that the clerk must have had a lobotomy at some point.
Panel 9: As Elly walks off in triumph, the clerk alerts her to an issue.
Panel 10: Said issue is that Elly left her pen, gloves and chequebook on the counter. Being called out on being forgetful by someone she presumed to feel superior to leaves Elly gobsmacked.
Summary: You'll notice what the clerk didn't do in response to boorishness: take it out on innocent phone books. As I've said before, it's sort of irritating watching Elly fly into a rage because people don't like the saleslady who won't leave them alone while having to remember her actively insulting someone having a bad day.