just me · organizing

Letter to the Bagger

Dear Grocery Store Bagger,

There is a reason I use the check-yourself-out lane; reason being, I’m very particular about how my stuff is bagged. I am aware that it’s a little neurotic, but I have a system. First of all, did you not see that my cart has a pile of reusable bags in it? Those are there for a reason…I want to put my groceries in them. I don’t want to take your job away from you. Jobs are scarce these days and I want to keep you employed, but I also want my groceries packed the “right” way. My “right” way. I try to make it easy for you when I see you coming over to the end of my check-out aisle. Before you even grab one of those awful plastic bags I flag you down and bring over my reusables. I don’t need the dirty look thank you very much. I know you have heard about this thing called the environment.

Secondly, now that you’re there I know I need to group my items accordingly and hope you see the pattern. Did you not notice that I send down all the frozen things together, the canned goods, the boxed items, and then the produce? I send them down to you in this order because that is how I want them packed. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to notice the pattern, does it? I don’t want my apples getting bruised by the cans of garbanzos please. Do you mix it all up to irritate the crazy person on purpose? I have only come across two cashiers at the local Target that seem to get it right.

Additionally, do you get a commission based on how many bags you pack? It’s not necessary to put two items in each bag. I’m not 80, I do have muscles. Pack ‘em up!! The less bags the better! And lastly, please acknowledge me when I tell you “thank you”, I know my smile doesn’t look that fake. AND when my little boys say “Have a nice day!” acknowledge them as well. I’m trying to teach them proper social etiquette. Thank you.

6 thoughts on “Letter to the Bagger

  1. Sheri – you are inside my brain on this one! I feel the SAME exact way on all points you made and I too put my groceries on the belt in a certain order (frozen, paper, produce, cans, etc) in hopes that they will bag them that way. Only happens about 40% of the time. So frustrating! I actually enjoy bagging them so I’d much rather do it myself.

  2. I am also the same way!! I feel bad for the bagger sometimes. I’m not alone, thanks Sheri.

  3. Once, at the grocery store, there was no bagger in my lane, so I happily began bagging my own groceries the way I wanted them grouped. I was merrily putting all of my frozen things together, all of my vegetables together, when a bagger showed up next to be and rudely said “excuse me” and took over bagging. Not only did he roll his eyes and heave and annoyed sigh, he actually took the items I had bagged out of the bags and rebagged them! I was so blown away I couldn’t even tell him to stop.
    Unfortunately for me we don’t have a check-yourself-out line around here.

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