Lazy Landfill Day

I didn't think I'd live to see the day when we have a shortage of green tags to price. VOUS SAVOIR DIFFERENCE` AUSSI. Like you're a major metropolitan newspaper who develops a philosophy that tries to shape the news rather than just report it. So the Tribune has decided on a policy where they will not use Indian sports names. Rather than call them the Chiefs or the Braves, they will now be known as the Kansas City football team, or Ted Turner's baseball team. Since when is this a newspaper's job? Where does it stop, do we refer to the KKK, a name with ugly connotations, as hostile men in white sheets? I, myself being of a different ethnic heritage would not be offended by a name like the St. Paul Samurai, but it might be different with a name like the Minneapolis Yellowskins. Beauty is in the eye. . . NOM DES INDIANS.

Shouldn't be a surprise though, if you look at all the pub the proposed Target Center buyout has gotten compared to the coverage of Fingerhut's decision to look for a different location. The Timberwolves, the main occupant of the sports arena, employ about the same number of employees as our company. Fingerhut on the other hand, has thousands of people working for them. The media sets the agenda. Speaking of hype, yes, "Schindler's List" is a must see. It is one of the few movies that earns its ending. I think my medication is wearing off however; I find myself weeping at the end of every movie I see including last week's viewing of "Cool Runnings.

Sacks and Violins. And Mark, part of your excellent story last week jarred a long forgotten Cheapo memory. I was working with Johnny "Jack" Baynes at the old Cheapo East store. We were ringing up customers. Jack was finishing up with an elderly gentleman, and politely if not succinctly asked, "Sack?" The man looked at him as though he was speaking Russian (which after all was Jack's major at Macalester). "Sack?" Jack repeated. "Sack?" he said holding up the item. "Sack?" I finally interrupted, "Would you like a bag?" "Oh yes," the man said. EVITER ARGOTIQUE! It was the darndest thing.

Well it's been a rather slow afternoon at Landfill. I've seen seven of our regulars though, making our being here worth it for those poor lost souls. Shopping experience: I was looking to ship my old word processor to our correspondent out east. My father told me of these packaging places that pack the item and ship it off UPS. Knowing my abilities in wrapping holiday gifts, I decided this was exactly the route I should take. I dug out the box the typewriter came in. It was squished beyond use. I did still have the Styrofoam inserts so I packed the typewriter in those and headed off to the Packaging Store. Once there I put my clunky merchandise on the counter. The man behind the counter looked at me without saying a word. After an awkward moment of silence I finally said, "I'd like to send this UPS." The man shook his head and said, "You can't send it that way." And I nearly blew up. He wasn't exactly dealing with a chimp. Snotty, naughty me said, "You're the professional perhaps you can come up with a solution, like maybe sticking it in a box first?"

Well it's nearly closing time. One of my last customers called me "Homey" as in you can ring me up now "Homey." It was the first time I've been called that. I'm touched.