So I was Albertson’s yesterday, going through one of their self-checkout machines. Which, by the way, are quite handy for introverts like me who are happy to minimize superfluous human contact. Anyway, as I was buying my items, a girl walked up to a nearby machine, talking on her cell phone. She continued talking on her phone as she was checking out. At one point, the machine, which rather inexplicably says how much each item you scan costs, was overheard by whomever she was talking to. So, she explains the machine to the other person. Then she finishes, and walks out, all the while barely breaking stride in her conversation.

This bugs me for a few reasons:

1. This clearly wasn’t that important of a conversation, so why the hell is it taking place throughout your shopping trip?
2. If what you’re doing is interrupting to the point that you have to explain the mechanics of the object that interrupted you, isn’t that a sign of something?
3. I can’t remember the last time I spent more than 5 minutes on the phone outside of work.

Obviously, cell phone conversations in public places are becoming commonplace, but it was a little unnerving to hear her explain a self-checkout machine. I question the value of any phone conversation where that becomes necessary.