I went to Home Depot, today. It’s a place I tend to avoid, it usually means spending money and a few ruined weekends. I’m not exactly a Home Improvement kind of guy.

But weeds are starting to work their way up cracks in the driveway and the porch tiles, so I figured I would get some herbicide to fight back before entropy took hold altogether.

I picked up a jug of suburban Agent Orange and went to the checkout. A pretty black teenager in an orange smock asked me if I “wanted to scan that?” “No Thanks”, I replied, “I’ll pay in cash.” She laughed.

I obviously have not been keeping up with the latest developments in retail merchandising. “Scanning” is done by placing the merchandise on a machine that scans its bar code. It then asks you if there is anything else, (a message on a little glass screen) and if you put money in it, signifying, “I’m done” it will either ask you for more, until the required currency is entered, or it gives you your change, in bills and coins. The receipt rolls out of a slot and you are on your way.

“Wow”, I told her. “I guess its only a matter of time before you’re out of a job?”

“Oh no”, “I manage all these registers here, all by myself.” There were several of them there. But no other check-out people. She was it.

The scanner is made by NCR, but I wonder if it is manufactured here in this country.