Nah’msayin?

Baggage Issues

OpinionsColin Harris — Published October 9, 2012

Dear cashier at that infamous two-lettered grocery store,

I’m a pretty easygoing guy, but sometimes, little things can get to me, ya know? Like the fact that apparently, bringing my own grocery bags to your cash means that you’re going to think our little exchange ends with you scanning my food.

Even though I set my bags down right in front of you, you just turned to the next customer and started adding their groceries to the pile I’m apparently supposed to be magically packing away while I’m entering my debit PIN.

And then, you started bagging their groceries, as if mine, by some feat of sustainable technology, could not only go into reusable sacks, but bag themselves! I assume that’s what you thought, because any other premise would just seem like a casual “shove it” to little old me.

“So I guess bringing my own bags means I don’t get my groceries bagged?”

To which you retorted with the simple observation that I’d already begun to do it myself, so…

Oh yes, astute discovery. I actually didn’t want to wait for some hero to do your job while I stared blankly at your indifference.

Listen, I know what I’m talking about. I’ve done my share of scanning and bagging for minimum wage. It’s not like I’m asking for anything difficult here. Us BYO-Baggers just want to be treated equally—if it’s all the same to you.

– Colin Harris
Coordinating Editor