Wal-Mart misadventure...

or why not to use the self checkout.

Self checkouts and I don't exactly get along. I watched the Twilight Zone and think about the episode The Thing with Machines whenever I get irritated with electronic equipment. After all, who can forget the electric razor sliding down the stairs like a cobra?

It seems that sometimes self checkouts work just fine, but I've also had instances where the item I specifically stopped for is not in the system, yada yada yada. So today I decided to give it a go. My last few experiences with them had been uneventful. And let's face it, it's pretty much a non-event, just an annoyance at the delay of something that is supposed to speed up your checking out. My first 3 or 4 items were fine, but suddenly it acted like it hadn't scanned one of them. I hit the star sticker after I scanned it like I was supposed to, but still nothing. Then it acts like I want to check out, and it won't go back to the still shopping screen. I hit the star again, and apparently this time it scans my item. I look at the totals, and it scanned the durn thing twice. It won't, of course, let me remove it. I have to get a Wal-mart cashier to do that. The blinking red light goes on, and I wait for someone to come remove it. Item cancelled, I continue. I'm ready to pay, and now it wants approval again from the cashier. I go on and do the debit card while I'm waiting and waiting for the gal to show up. She finally shows, the computer lets me finish, and I load up the cart and leave. I'm pulling out of the parking lot when I remember I had opted for $20 cash back, which I had left after the long wait for a human to come push another button or two. There's no point in going back. Some other Wal-Mart customer just got lucky.

Honestly, I'm about 10% irritated with myself while the other 90% thinks it's funny. Sure, there goes my spending money, but there were people there for whom that $20 will make a big difference in their lives. I'll just have to put coffee on my debit card instead of paying cash until I get to a teller in the next day or two.

As I end here for now, I will definitely be thinking of machines. I'll have to work on my self service checkout vibe. Otherwise, my hairdryer may be gunning for me later, and I've gotten used to being able to have straighter hair when I want.