An unfamiliar purchase
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 443
An unfamiliar purchase
So my parents are in town and they asked me to pick up a 6 pack of beer for them on my way home from work. No problem. While I was at the store I grabbed a melon as well and headed for the checkout counter.
That's when it got interesting. I have not purchased alcohol in over a year, and it turns out that I have completely forgotten how to do so.
First, it did not occur to me that I might need to produce ID. When the cashier asked, it took me a second to realize why she was asking. So I had to dig my drivers license out. In the "old days" I would have had it at the ready... the better to expedite and get the heck out of there...
Then she asked me to scan my drivers license through the credit card swipe machine. I had never had to do this before. I did not even know that my license has a magnetic data stripe on it. Is this now a common thing when buying alcohol?
During the whole thing I felt like a visitor from Mars trying to figure out the local customs. Oh, you need my ID? Oh, and I need to scan it how?
It felt great to realize that this sad little ritual is on its way to being well and truly forgotten!
That's when it got interesting. I have not purchased alcohol in over a year, and it turns out that I have completely forgotten how to do so.
First, it did not occur to me that I might need to produce ID. When the cashier asked, it took me a second to realize why she was asking. So I had to dig my drivers license out. In the "old days" I would have had it at the ready... the better to expedite and get the heck out of there...
Then she asked me to scan my drivers license through the credit card swipe machine. I had never had to do this before. I did not even know that my license has a magnetic data stripe on it. Is this now a common thing when buying alcohol?
During the whole thing I felt like a visitor from Mars trying to figure out the local customs. Oh, you need my ID? Oh, and I need to scan it how?
It felt great to realize that this sad little ritual is on its way to being well and truly forgotten!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 852
Originally Posted by Deckard 
So my parents are in town and they asked me to pick up a 6 pack of beer for them on my way home from work. No problem. While I was at the store I grabbed a melon as well and headed for the checkout counter.
That's when it got interesting. I have not purchased alcohol in over a year, and it turns out that I have completely forgotten how to do so.
First, it did not occur to me that I might need to produce ID. When the cashier asked, it took me a second to realize why she was asking. So I had to dig my drivers license out. In the "old days" I would have had it at the ready... the better to expedite and get the heck out of there...
Then she asked me to scan my drivers license through the credit card swipe machine. I had never had to do this before. I did not even know that my license has a magnetic data stripe on it. Is this now a common thing when buying alcohol?
During the whole thing I felt like a visitor from Mars trying to figure out the local customs. Oh, you need my ID? Oh, and I need to scan it how?
It felt great to realize that this sad little ritual is on its way to being well and truly forgotten!
That's when it got interesting. I have not purchased alcohol in over a year, and it turns out that I have completely forgotten how to do so.
First, it did not occur to me that I might need to produce ID. When the cashier asked, it took me a second to realize why she was asking. So I had to dig my drivers license out. In the "old days" I would have had it at the ready... the better to expedite and get the heck out of there...
Then she asked me to scan my drivers license through the credit card swipe machine. I had never had to do this before. I did not even know that my license has a magnetic data stripe on it. Is this now a common thing when buying alcohol?
During the whole thing I felt like a visitor from Mars trying to figure out the local customs. Oh, you need my ID? Oh, and I need to scan it how?
It felt great to realize that this sad little ritual is on its way to being well and truly forgotten!
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
