# Heroes are everywhere . At Costco today........ **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 1, 2020, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-are-everywhere-at-costco-today/850781 "2020-04-01T02:41:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-are-everywhere-at-costco-today/850781/1 "2020-04-01T02:41:14Z")
It was my first trip out to Costco since the self isolation, Two guys with spray bottles and rag lined the entrance lobby presenting freshly sanitized carts. As I moved along the aisles with my wife I couldn’t help but notice the silence permeating throughout the store. People shuffling along avoiding eye contact but generally maintaining a semblance of distance. No treats. We approached the tills, where we were held back in a holding area and quickly sent off to a designated checkout. Every second checkout was unoccupied. After unloading on the belt I moved to the end of the packing line while my wife and the cashier were conducting their business and started pondering all the risky moments I encountered in the store and the probability that some viral agent is on the packaging that is going to enter our safe home. Suddenly I hear the packing lady say hear you go and I answer with a cursory thank you. Then it hit me. That was not enough. Turning to look at her I say a little more emphatically “Thankyou very much” The packer looked up and gave me a smile of appreciation that just made the rest of my day. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-are-everywhere-at-costco-today/850781/2 "2020-04-01T04:19:33Z")
Packing lady? You must have a fancy Costco! At mine, the cashier just scans and sticks it in a cart. Usually your stuff goes into the previous person’s empty cart in an effort to prevent dishonest people from doing things like hiding a $20 pack of batteries under a sack of flour. I didn’t pay attention to the process yesterday to see if they still do that or if they adjusted procedures so you get the same cart back without being part of a long germ-transfer chain. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-are-everywhere-at-costco-today/850781/3 "2020-04-01T08:39:29Z")
My local supermarket has arranged shopping sessions for the over 60s (Mon / Wed / Fri 0900 - 10.00.) So there’s a lot of grey hair and politeness. I was smiling at people and saying “after you” (so we could keep the recommended distance) and getting cheerful responses. I thought I would buy a baguette for the first time and had a pleasant conversation with the staff baker about how long one would keep. I also thanked the staff for being so helpful - it all makes the atmosphere better and keeps our spirits up. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-are-everywhere-at-costco-today/850781/4 "2020-04-01T09:56:35Z")
We’re not allowed out together, the very nice formal pass card specifies only one household member. We quick freeze our baguettes in plastic bag, they remain fresh a week later if just rewarmed back to room temperature. I always have a pleasant acknowledgement for the checker. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-are-everywhere-at-costco-today/850781/5 "2020-04-01T10:34:27Z")
My allocated shopping hour is 4 to 5 P.M on Thursday. Thank heavens I wasn’t given one of the early slots like poor Samuel. How he gets up at that time I don’t know. It is forecast to be raining on Thursday afternoon so I thought I could try to go today. What’s the difference I thought. Everything seemed OK until I got near where they used to stock the toilet paper. One older woman hissed something to her partner. He looked at me and then I clearly heard her say, “He’s not one of us. He’s not a Wednesday.” Other people began to turn and look. I didn’t have time to put the jar of stuffed olives or the tin of herrings in mustard sauce back on the shelf. I simply dropped my reusable cloth bag and ran for the exit. Thankfully, the security guards were occupied by a skirmish involving a cabbage so I was able to flee unimpeded. Of course I will have to find somewhere else to shop now. On Thursday. Between 4 and 5. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-are-everywhere-at-costco-today/850781/6 "2020-04-01T14:11:20Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > My allocated shopping hour is 4 to 5 P.M on Thursday. Thank heavens I wasn’t given one of the early slots like poor Samuel. How he gets up at that time I don’t know. You are given a time and day of the week when you’re allowed to shop? I don’t think they’re doing that where I live in the US and I haven’t heard of it being done anywhere in the US. Is that the practice throughout Australia? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-are-everywhere-at-costco-today/850781/7 "2020-04-01T14:21:40Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Suddenly I hear the packing lady say hear you go and I answer with a cursory thank you. > > Then it hit me. That was not enough. Turning to look at her I say a little more emphatically “Thankyou very much” The packer looked up and gave me a smile of appreciation that just made the rest of my day. It’s a nice enough story, but calling yourself a hero is a little _de trop_… ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-are-everywhere-at-costco-today/850781/8 "2020-04-01T14:35:50Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Packing lady? You must have a fancy Costco! At mine, the cashier just scans and sticks it in a cart. Cashier? At Sam’s Club I scan, pay, then go. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-are-everywhere-at-costco-today/850781/9 "2020-04-01T14:51:12Z")
> [@glee](#): > > My local supermarket has arranged shopping sessions for the over 60s (Mon / Wed / Fri 0900 - 10.00.) > > So there’s a lot of grey hair and politeness. I did a food run a couple of days ago to the local Kroger. I blocked a narrow aisle for about 15 seconds to grab a few bottles of ginger ale, and as I was moving on an older lady who’d stopped behind me said “_Excuse_ me. Took you long enough.” I didn’t bother responding. Exchanged greetings and well-wishes with the cashier and bagger. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-are-everywhere-at-costco-today/850781/10 "2020-04-01T16:09:28Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > It’s a nice enough story, but calling yourself a hero is a little _de trop_… Is this a joke ?