mr. big stuff, who do you think you are?

I was at the grocery store today picking up a few items and one of my biggest pet peeves happened again. No, it wasn't someone who was surprised at the idea they have to pay; it was a person who insisted on shopping from the check-out line.

Now, when I say shopping from the check-out line, I don't mean this person was humming and hawing over which magazine or candy to buy in the tantrum inducing parent trap that is the check-out display. I mean this person had their basket of goods on the conveyor belt but was proceeding to run around the store and pick up those items she so "conveniently forgot". Seriously, who forgets to grab hot dog buns when you've picked up hot dogs?

If it was one item, maybe I'd be prepared to cut a person some slack, but when you're going up and down aisles, come on! Proper shopping etiquette means lifting your basket off the conveyor belt, putting it aside, giving a little wave to the next person in line, and THEN dashing madly around the store to get your items.

This grocery store is not a large one, and is never overly busy so it's not like a spot near the front of the check-out line is a precious commodity. Particularly in this case where all the woman's items were still in a basket, there was no reason to hold a spot.

I can understand if you have all your items laid out on the conveyor; but even in that case at least acknowledge the inconvenience you are causing to the people behind you. A knowing look, a 'slap-stick style' hand to the head pronouncing what you've forgotten will garner some good will, or at least neutral feelings. Do you think I like whipping out my 'withering look of disapproval'(tm)?

Maybe I'll follow in the footsteps of Mr. Smith and pen a book on etiquette for the modern man and woman: how to navigate your way through society without invoking the withering look of disapproval(tm) from those of us in the know.