The Bagger Chronicles; Part 2

Well, since our last visit it seems nothing much new has happened. I continue to bag groceries at our local commissary and am soon about to begin substitute teaching for one of our local districts. We will see which one I give up first.

The amount of pettiness that goes on among the ranks of commissary baggers and workers is perplexing. The frequency with which my coworkers will run to “report” a minor indiscretion one might make while bagging groceries confounds me daily! After all, how many “indiscretions” might one make? And what “indiscretion” might be a reportable offense? One would be surprised! It seems I am always getting into “trouble” for one thing or another. One day it might be for actually thinking and using my brain. Another, it might be for simply following the rules by rote. Here is an example.

Baggers wait in line until signaled to the cash registers to bag a customer’s groceries. The signal usually comes in the form of a black or orange flag…it is very high tech. The bagger waiting for a customer at an open check out flags an orange flag for the next bagger in line to come and help. When the lead bagger takes the customer’s groceries to his/her car, the assistant bagger becomes the lead bagger for the next customer, and in turn flags either orange or black for his/her assistant. Yesterday, as I was waiting to be flagged, a cashier opened a checkout lane and I thought (that was my mistake) “She is going to need a bagger.” Just as I thought this and began to head toward that cashier, another bagger flagged me. Instead of going to the bagger that flagged me, I went to the newly opened checkout lane and sent the bagger behind me to the person that flagged. Immediately another bagger who shall remain nameless (mainly because I don’t know what her name is) got her panties in a bunch. You would think I had committed one of the seven deadly sins! “What’s the difference?” I asked her. “Either way works!” You would think. However, I learned that baggers can’t be choosers! Ba Dum-(b)! 🙂

Here’s a birthday card I created using the Balloon Bash stamp set in the Occasions Catalog and ribbon from Best Year Ever Accessory Pack in Sale-a-bration.