> > > That question on the reader poll made me wonder if it was talking about something at the supermarket checkout or maybe something else. Usually at the checkout, when they say something like, "That's $44.94," I whip out some cash in one hand and a credit card in the other and ask, "Paper or plastic?" If you time it right, the bag boy just stands there with his mouth open.
> > > Howard
>
> Now why would you want to torture the poor boy like that Howard! :-)
>
> A quick aside here -- as far as the store manager is concerned, s/he would prefer Paper over Plastic since that way the store doesn't have to pay the 3% service fee that the credit card companies charge per transaction.
>
>
> > Once, in Florida (which my mother and I consider the land of the intelligence challenged), I responded that I'd like both (usually accomplished by placing paper inside of plastic). The man gave me my groceries in six bags: three plastic, and three paper.
> >
> > Mou"never living in Florida"sie
>
> Hmm. The last three times I've asked for "both" -- without giving further instructions, since the only reason I wanted the extra paper bags was to shuck a large amount of fresh corn -- I've gotten my groceries bagged that way, separately, also. Didn't think much of it. You mean there's an art form to double-bagging? :-)

You know, I swear when I was young every bag person (being p.c.) seemed to REALLY know how to properly bag groceries. Nowadays, I can go into any store and I'm totally blown away at their inability to do it correctly. You'd think that someone who does it every day would pick up on subtlties such as "bread does not go on the bottom", "cans should not go on top of tomatoes", or simply "maybe I could fit more than 2 items in this bag". I've never done it professionally, but when we shop at the one store that requires you to bag your own, I'd like to say that I do a pretty fine job of utilizing each bag's capacity, as well as, ensuring the safe transport of all things fragile (or otherwise mushable).
So, If you're bagging my groceries, just do a good job, or I'll be cursing your name all the way to the car. --I'd never actually point it out to your face; what, do you think I'm some kind of jerk or something? That would be rude.

Hey that cough syrup's kicking in.

Tra "pardon my vent" nio