Autistically Speaking

[Darkkin]

This is the spot for that moment in your day when you did or said something that reveals the autistic behind the social masks we wear. Have a moment share. Need a moment read, smile, and remember we are all merely human.

I needed to stop at the grocery store on the way home from work. I needed fruit snacks, crackers (which were on uber sale, yeah!), juice, and a couple other things.

I found everything I needed and got in line. (I categorically refuse to use those yammering self checkouts and there was no You Bag line open.)

The bagger who crushed my carton of eggs last time by putting canned goods and a five pound bag of dog food, which actually did not need a bag, on top of eggs and bread was there...

My order goes down the belt. The checker asked if I needed the milk or juice bagged. I said no. Checker passed on the information to the bagger, who said, 'I heard. I have ears. God.'

Needless to say, I thought that reaction was just plain rude because this checker was just covering his bases.

Bagger then proceeds to try and bag both my milk and juice in plastic. I never use plastic. I politely pointed out that I didn't want either item bagged, and I preferred paper. The rest of the order came down the belt and bagger guy starts putting each individual item in a separate plastic bag.

Nope.

I flat out looked him in the face (which tells you just how irked I was because I never make eye contact) and told him that his bagging method was completely illogical, geometrical speaking.

I popped open a paper bag, pulled my purchases out of the half dozen plastic bags (e.g. I had three boxes of crackers and he was putting one box per bag), and rebagged them neatly into a single paper bag in less than a minute.

My reply to the awkward silence: 'Geometrically speaking, keep like with like and stack. Not everyone has the finger span to carry a dozen bags to and from their car.'

The checker gave me a smile and a thumbs up. I felt so bad for him because he had to deal with that bagger.

I know I bordered on rude, but he was rude to the checker and did not listen to a thing anyone said, instead just plowed carelessly ahead.

Usually I won't stir the pot, but when there had been a previous incident, rude behavior toward a fellow employee, and continued carelessness. I needed to say something because that is not okay.

 

[Gerontius]

You did a good thing. You didn't freak out, didn't pull some ridiculous stunt, but you definitely made things a heap easier. That was not "rude" what you did, though the fellow bagging doubtless perceives it as such at the moment. That actually promotes a little better manners all the way around.

He did you out of your eggs last time and eggs are going up in price lately. Then he wastes your time by using the wrong bags. (I don't use plastic either; I use an old pillowcase or something.) Last but not least he's going to make things MORE of a hassle by giving you a ton of bags to sort when you get home.

If you live in a state where grocery bags cost money at the store, then he's wasting your money with the extra bags. Not like he isn't doing that anyway with breaking all the eggs being a klutz. I am currently in Connecticut and your grocery bags cost something along the lines of 10 or 12 cents apiece. (I don't buy them.) Kind of like a deposit on anything in bottles.

I bet that grocery cashier was glad you explained things to the bagger, who just doesn't sound like a very smart guy.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

I do not think you were rude. The bagger needs to learn how to make things fit properly. I had thought it was an art that also keeps the customer happy. My spouse is good at it, me not so much. Well, yesterday I was traveling across Bangkok on the BTS requiring some transfers. There is a lot of information and inputs coming at you which usually causes me a lot of anxiety. But, looking at the stations I figured that things are pretty understandable. I only made one error and just went over to the right track after one station. Today I will take the BTS abd MRT to the Grand Palace.

 

[Forest Cat]

My order goes down the belt. The checker asked if I needed the milk or juice bagged. I said no. Checker passed on the information to the bagger, who said, 'I heard. I have ears. God.'

So there are people bagging the things customers buy, that's a job? That's special, I haven't seen that before. I'm kinda happy we don't have that here, I would have to stand there and wait for a stranger to bag my groceries. It sounds a little awkward. I wouldn't know what to say to them. I don't really like the thought of a stranger handling all my food and stuff either, I prefer bagging it myself.

 

[Darkkin]

It is one of the remnants of grocery stores before the rise of Voldemart. I avoid said service if I can because I am so specific about item placement.

This is one of our local groceries, so the store provides it as a nostalgia thing. I work retail. I know customer service can be tough, which is why I try to be kind. I've been on that side of the counter. Folks are just trying to do their job, but when you're rude to another person in front of a stranger because they were doing their job and you decided not to listen that is not okay.

It's like full service gas stations and valet parking. These are every day tasks I can fo fine on my own.

Why complicate it with giving people my car keys or standing around waiting for someone to put gas in the car? It's not logical.

I've used the automated checkout lanes before and there is no way to mute that yammering computer voice. Even with my headphones in and my music up, you can still hear the incessant babble. It is one of those things like a person smacking that I absolutely abhor, thusly I get stuck in We Bag line.