Just because the cashier sends you to the back to meet somebody to cut your fabric doesnt mean you need to do that. Stay at the cashier station and let them take the fabric back to cut it and bring it back up. Dont put your bolt up first, let her ring some stuff and then put the bolt up. Causes them to have to reverse the charges, etc to get you to move.
This is passive aggressive time not passive time. You need to cause them more grief than if they corrected the staffing issue. You were nice when you rang the bell, you were nice when you went for help. This is obviously a systemic problem. Now it is not nice time. It's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. You wanted the fabric back and you got it. If you want good service, you can get it but you dont get it by accepting poor service.
I know this sounds mean but my New Year's resolution was to not accept lousy service or poor quality merchandise.