Rant #1:
Saying “Well, you don’t really need something” is not a fucking response to the question “Why do you want to ban/outlaw/make illegal something”. If I say “Some recreational drugs should be legalized”, responding “Well, you don’t need to use them.” isn’t a meanful response. Same with driving an SUV, owning guns, flag burning, pornography, etc. It’s self-evident that I don’t need to have/do these things (and I don’t want to own/do some of them either).
There is no Constitutional Amendment that states that only things that you need are permitted.
If I hear one more simpering cretin whimper the word “need” in this context, I’m gonna blow.
FWIW, I’m not directing the above rant to anyone on this board. If this “argument” has been used here, I haven’t seen it.
Rant #2:
Yes, I want a fucking bag with my purchase! If I don’t want a Goddamned bag, I’ll letcha know, ok?
I am so sick of these snotty, “more eco-aware than thou” cashiers asking me if I want a bag with a purchase that obviously requires a bag. I was at a used book store and they had gotten a ton of old SF paperbacks (late '50’s) and I got about 20 of them. I struggle to get them to the check-out counter, and the dim-bulb goat-humper says “Dude! You wanna bag with that? It’s better for the environment if you don’t”. Like I’m going to stuff all 20 books into my pockes. Asshole. This keeps happening. Note to all cashiers everywhere: Assume I want a fucking bag for every purchase. I’ll worry about the envrionment in my own Goddamned way.
Rant #3:
I don’t want to chat in-depth about my groceries with cashiers. My grocery choices are not intended for discussion. I’m not objecting to a casual comment like “I’ve never had Jeruselem Artichokes. What do they taste like?”. But more and more often, I’ve had grocery cashiers (usually the older ones, but not always) carry on a running commentary about my groceries. “Hey, you’re getting a lot of steaks, are you having a party? 3 bags of cat-litter, you must have a LOT of cats! Lookit this TV dinner! I didn’t know we had this, is it any good?” (‘No, you cretin’ I think ‘I’m getting it because I’m a masochist and it disgusts every fiber of my being’) “Boy, you must like vegetables a LOT. Are you trying to lose weight?” (<-actual comment)
Next bastard who tries to psychoanalyse me via my groceries is gonna get a verbal and written complaint to his/her manager.
Or a punch in the snoot.
Or both.
The Confession, or Why I’m headed for Hell
At the grocery store last night, there was only one checkout line open and it was deserted. After suffering through yet another monologue about my groceries, I noticed the bagger was just standing there while a week’s groceries (plus some extras for a 4th of July BBQ) were piling up. Eventually the bagger-guy asked “Do you want paper or plastic?”. He seemed to be somewhat mentally retarded (not using this term as an insult here). Once I said “plastic”, he began to bag groceries. Very. Slowly. He’d. Pick. Up. One. Item and. Inspect. It. Turning. It. Over. Several. Times. In. His. Hands. . . . Sometimes. He’d. Put. It. In. A. Bag. Sometimes. He’d. Put. It Back. Down. He. Also. Pointed. Out. How. Funny. The. Picture. On. The. Box. Of. Cap’n Crunch with Crunchberries. Looked. It took him 15+ minutes after I’d been checked out and paid. And the whole time, I kept thinking extremely nasty thoughts, that I’m now somewhat ashamed of, along the lines of “Shouldn’t you be in a home somewhere? A fucking turtle could move faster.” I didn’t say or do anything that would have indicated my frustration, and I was careful to keep my expression neutral but at the same time, I now feel kind of guilty for the…ahem…unkind…things I was thinking. I mean, the guy is trying to lead a productive life, the store put him on at a slow time (it was 8:30 at night) and in the grand scheme of things, what’s 15 minutes anyway? The worst part is, should the situation arise again, I’m probably going to feel the same way at the time.
Fenris