yyt

needing batteries, i cross the frontier into pikesville to the rite aid. entering i see that my reference to what was once called the third world is incorrect, i find that a more relevant comparison would be the old soviet block.

the first thing that i notice is the queue to check out. although there are four wickets only one is open and there are a dozen people waiting to pay. there is no self check-out.

groaning i search the shop for the battery display. seeing the amount of empty space on the shelves the shop looks as if it is closing for good. finding the self serve display i try to pick up two packages as if i buy two the second is 50% off. i pick the only packages where there are two as most of the slots are empty.

after trying to lift the packages off the hooks in the self service display i noticed they were locked. i had to find a clerk to unlock my selection. the only people i can find are in the queue.

finally seeing someone dart by and start to rearrange a shelf, i track her down, tell her my predicament. she heads over to verify the situation, fetches the key, i pick out the two remaining battery packs and queue up to pay.

a transaction that normally would take five minutes takes 30.