# Incredibly common products which the store clerk never heard of **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 23, 2021, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225 "2021-09-23T21:29:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/263 "2021-09-29T18:24:52Z")
This duckling must talk to my younger son, who exclusively uses body wash and thinks his doddering old man is living in the Dark Ages, just because I want to use my bar of Irish Spring. “I think Irish Spring makes a body wash, Old Man,” says he. “Not the point, Grasshopper,” I retort. Ahh, the Generation Gap. When _did_ I get on the other side of that? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/264 "2021-09-29T19:09:54Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > “I think Irish Spring makes a body wash, Old Man,” says he. Actually, they make several. And every single version of them is also available in bar form. Me, I think options are good. But what do I know? I just sell stuff. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/265 "2021-09-29T19:14:04Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > The picture on my license from forty years ago doesn’t look much like the one that’s on there now. Well, the picture on my still perfectly valid license doesn’t look much like me, because I shaved my beard off last week. (This was to ensure a better mask fit when I took a plane flight. I was dreading some trouble with TSA over the license photo but everything went fine.) ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/266 "2021-09-29T19:17:43Z")
Heres the thing though, I asked if I could go back home and get my passport or some other legitimate and non-expired ID and the clerk literally said that I was basically banned ALL day from purchasing alcohol because I “flunked” that test. Similarly I once accidentally gave a clerk an expired ID then switched to my new renewed one and the clerk similarly claimed that I literally couldn’t purchase alcohol anymore with a real ID. Where the hell does that law come from? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/267 "2021-09-29T19:33:23Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > No, not a power tool; at least, I’ve never seen the term used for one. > > [Google image: lots of pictures.](https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=grass+whip&client=firefox-b-1-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwijkcD-4ZfzAhV8QzABHZaeBxQQjJkEegQIFxAC&biw=594&bih=311&dpr=3) > [@Stana\_Claus](#): > > Growing up in the deep south, that’s what we always called a sling blade or swing blade. In fact, there’s a Billy Bob Thornton movie from 1996 by that very name. In East Texas we called that thing a YoYo. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/268 "2021-09-29T20:09:32Z")
I suspect in your case it was probably just the store being overly cautious, but my guess is the reason for the rule is that they don’t want teenagers with fake IDs to try to buy alcohol, get rejected, and try again with a different fake ID. And regarding not allowing expired IDs, I think at least part of the reason is that sometimes people make fake IDs by altering someone else’s old, expired ID. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/269 "2021-09-29T21:17:38Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Heres the thing though, I asked if I could go back home and get my passport or some other legitimate and non-expired ID and the clerk literally said that I was basically banned ALL day from purchasing alcohol because I “flunked” that test. Similarly I once accidentally gave a clerk an expired ID then switched to my new renewed one and the clerk similarly claimed that I literally couldn’t purchase alcohol anymore with a real ID. > > Where the hell does that law come from? Sure as hell isn’t the law where I live! If you can produce a valid ID I’ll let you buy booze. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2021, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/270 "2021-09-29T22:56:50Z")
Most of the things mentioned here about this subject are not actual laws, merely store policies. Which some clerks mindlessly follow. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/271 "2021-09-30T00:18:31Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > Arizona licenses don’t expire until you are 65 years old, no matter how old you were when it was issued and a new photo is only needed if the current photo is more than 12 years old. And you don’t _really_ need to get a new photo taken until someone in law enforcement calls you on it. The photo on my laminated driver’s license is about 30 years old. I don’t get grief about the photo, young people here in Arizona never recognize the document itself. Once I point it out on their list of valid ID’s it usually gets handed around so everyone can look at it. I’m going to miss it when I turn 65. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/272 "2021-09-30T00:20:28Z")
You are going to need a new license in 2 years anyway, if you ever intend to fly without bringing your passport… ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/273 "2021-09-30T00:41:12Z")
Not being able to fly isn’t an issue at all as far as I’m concerned. I haven’t flown for about 20 years and from the sounds of things flying is less fun now than it was then. I’m of two minds about getting the Real ID or whatever they call it here, but this hijack has been going on too long. Sorry OP. It seems as though we have a lot of regional names here and that I don’t know what stuff is really called. Once a store clerk spent almost 10 minutes helping me look for chickpeas for a recipe. We were almost ready to give up when a helpful customer pointed us towards the garbanzo beans. The clerk was doing his best, but was young and male and didn’t really appear to have much cooking knowledge so of course wouldn’t know the different names for foods he’s never seen uncooked. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/274 "2021-09-30T01:20:33Z")
I’ve twice had clerks not know what or where the ricotta cheese is. They think I’m mispronouncing “cottage cheese” ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/275 "2021-09-30T02:29:30Z")
I came across this image today. It depicts South Park’s Eric Cartman drawn into a scene from Cool Hand Luke where the convicts are using grass whips: [![](https://i.redd.it/1ruzvm82pgq71.jpg) ](https://i.redd.it/1ruzvm82pgq71.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/276 "2021-09-30T04:22:25Z")
I live in Chicago, but grew up in Texas and went to college in Oklahoma. I would have expected to find apple butter in every full-size supermarket I’ve ever entered. (Interestingly, I was surprised when I moved here to not be able to find plum jam in Chicago supermarkets.) A friend in Germany made a big batch of apple butter last year, so I thought it was a commonplace food item on both sides of the Atlantic. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/277 "2021-09-30T04:25:35Z")
I’m a lifelong gardener, and I had never seen that term until now. I’ve always seen them referred to as a straight sickle. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/278 "2021-09-30T07:11:34Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > A friend in Germany made a big batch of apple butter last year, so I thought it was a commonplace food item on both sides of the Atlantic. I’m in the UK and have spent a lot of time on the continent as well but I’ve never heard of, nor seen “apple butter”. I’ve just googled it and I’m sure I’d remember that if I’d seen it. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/279 "2021-09-30T09:35:49Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > A friend in Germany made a big batch of apple butter last year, so I thought it was a commonplace food item on both sides of the Atlantic. I’ve done a bit more research and have found that there is a regional specialty called _Apfelkraut_ which is made of apple juice boiled down to a thick syrup. Do you recall if that’s what your German friend called it? If so, I’m pretty sure that this is known only in the far west of the country, near the French and Belgian borders. I lived in Hesse (also in the west, but not quite so close to the border) and despite regularly scouring supermarkets and health food stores for unusual spreads and snacks, I’m sure I never once came across it. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/280 "2021-09-30T11:12:51Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > OK, so now I know that in this area using the Spanish word might work better than the English. Apparently the White/Anglo folks have given up on lard and moved to Crisco for things like pie crusts (when they aren’t buying them pre-made) and it’s mostly the Spanish-speakers who are still using the pork fat. I can tell when someone/place uses oil instead of lard in Mexican cooking … and even Hispanic overly healthy diet types swear you cant cook pork or beef in their dishes correctly without using lard … dang it I want carnitas now lol ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/281 "2021-09-30T11:23:11Z")
I’ve heard of apple butter (yum!) but I don’t know if I’ve ever bought it. Apple butter is just something your mother or grandmother makes… ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225/282 "2021-09-30T11:35:54Z")
Not an incredibly common product but I was once in a hardware store looking for “tee nuts”. The clerk gave me a blank stare and said (Floridian): “Whut’s a tay nut?”. Then I noticed that he was standing in front of the fastener display which included - you guessed it - tee nuts. Here’s a video of a pronged tee nut. They are also made without the prongs. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HVfkxJiqLkA/maxresdefault.jpg "Installing T-Nuts In Wood | Fasteners101") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVfkxJiqLkA) Maybe I shouldn’t have been too hard on the clerk. I see that Tee Slot Nuts are now commonly called Tee Nuts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredibly-common-products-which-the-store-clerk-never-heard-of/951225.md?page=15)