[Steve_Seattle]

Today I went to the local supermarket to buy some wine, which - like all of the alcohol - is now sold in a gated area with its own cash register. When I got to the checkout stand, I began unloading my few items onto the counter. The panicked clerk - a twenty-something woman - said, "No! I'll do it! Get around in front of the (plastic) screen!" We were both wearing masks, as required.

I felt like I had leprosy. As we know, the young are highly unlikely to suffer serious complications from Covid-19, but this woman - and a couple of others I've encountered - have been driven to a state of panic, and probably WOULD eagerly agree to a prolonged extension of mask and social distancing requirements.

[Señor Presidente]

“The panicked clerk - a twenty-something woman - said, “No! I’ll do it!”

This gave me a good laugh. Have had many such experiences like this at places like Costco. Their ridiculous checkout process expectations are posted nowhere, yet they instantly react with domineering scolding of anyone who “steps out of line.” One Costco lady raised her voice at me when I tried to hand off my membership card at the start of the conveyor (they evidently changed the normal practice and now scan it through the plexiglass, don’t you know!).

My favorite experience was checking out at a Food Lion grocery store in May. I have kids who drink tons of milk. Had 3 gallons in the cart. Angry store manager “caught” me trying to abscond with 1 gallon-too-many (did not see any signs limiting to 2). She smugly told me there was a 2 gallon limit. I loudly told her, “I have 5 young children.” She immediately took the covid-infected container out of the cart...and probably had to throw it away by store policy. Fools.