I talked about this a little bit
last night on my radio show, but thought that I would share it with you all
here as well. I can go into a bit more detail here anyway. Please be kind lol.
As I had
explained before, my day job takes me to other cities and towns not too far
from where I live. Within a reasonable proximity at least. This has its
advantages and detriments as well. The bad part is that I could be three hours
from home when my truck breaks down and leaves me waiting for a service vehicle
for an undetermined amount of time. Not fun. The good about it is the fact that
I am in another town and can take advantage of that fact. Before you jump all
over me on this, listen up first. The best example of this is the fact that I can
take my lunch break whenever I want to, and do so. The company automatically
deducts me for a lunch break anyway, and I can plan ahead to take advantage of the
time to pick up a few items that are needed at home. Win-win I think. Time management
for sure, and I’m not asking you to agree lol.
I found
myself at a Wal-Mart in one of these towns and was rather surprised to see the
obvious change that, to me, was rather upsetting. I would not (or ever) go as
far as to say that I was offended, but there are probably people that would be. Again,
go figure. These are the same people that would go no further than display
their faux traumatized self on social media, and do nothing more about it as if
the world was actually listening to them personally. We all know at least one
of these. Hey…nobody cares!
I actually know a couple and,
other than their friendship, which is genuine because they are really good
people, I enjoy their passion with regard to how they thrust themselves into trivial
issues in a seemingly profound gesture. Full force, and sometimes without full
disclosure or knowledge of said issue. Whether I agree with them or not, I do
admire their emotionally driven, passionate stand on a given matter. I wish
that the people who are actually in a position to do something about any of
these concerns had at least half as much drive toward any cause. They could at
least grow a set of balls and not waffle so much. Yes, even the women. But I digress.
Back to the real story here. As I
said I was at a Wal-Mart and was picking up only a couple of items. One of
which was a specific dog treat, that is a favorite of Mike The Wonderdog, and
rather less expensive here than anywhere else where I have found it. As I approached
the cash register area, I was taken aback by the lack, or disappearance of the
express cash lane. Gone, nada, absent, displaced, withdrawn, flown, just not
there anymore. Really? WTF!!!
The replacement for the express
check-out cash register multi-feeder mouse mazes seems to be the self-check-out
lane. A double hyphen? Again, really? Now mine, and everyone else in the world’s
only options are either wait in line behind that person, wearing rather
interesting pyjama pants, with an entire cart full of their monthly allocation of,
well, everything, because they got their cheque today, or to do it yourself. Yes. Yes
I am stereotyping here. Can you blame me? Never mind, it’s Wal-Mart.
I have heard a number of
arguments, rants, diatribes, bombasts, tirades, orations, discussions, on this
matter, but i still have my own opinion. Go figure right? All valid arguments to say
the least, but…
Let’s leave the whole eliminating
jobs thing, and the argument that will ensure another discussion at a later
date, for a later date. My take on it all is the fact that I’m the one doing
the work in replacement for a paid, and employed person at no savings to me or
any other customer.
If, by me checking out myself is
a savings to the company, why is there no saving passed onto the customer, me,
for doing the work? I’m not being paid for it, yet I’m performing the tasks as
if I were the cashier. This sounds like the work of the same person who decided
to start charging customers for plastic bags. Don’t get me wrong here, checking
yourself out at the cash register is not a complicated nor tedious transaction.
It’s the fact that these are now my only options is what grates on me. The corporation
is eliminating the choices of the general public to favour profits, which seems
to be the way of the new world everywhere unfortunately.
I could go on adnosium about this
but I won’t inflict that upon you this time. I will however leave this one
final observational though. Like you didn’t see this coming.
If I am required to be the
cashier and run my items through the scanner, bag, swipe, load, pay, and move
along in timely manner, without the courtesy of a human being asking me how I’m
doing today, it should at least qualify for a minor discount of sorts. Nothing extreme
at all would be required. A couple percent off of my purchase would be the big
win.
At the very least…and I do mean
the very least…don’t charge me for the fucking bags. “Mic drop”
