You probably think I’m talking about your amazing stamina at your health club. Right?

Wrong.

I’m talking about trips to Publix or Target or Wal*Mart.

Wherever. You know the drill.

You’re at the store. Finally you're checking out when suddenly everything grinds to a halt.

Scanner in hand and eyes glazed, the cashier says, “Where’s the barcode?”

Grabbing the bag of dog food, you turn it up, turn it down, turn it around. Who knew you could juggle 50 pounds?

People behind you are growing snarly. You've become "a line holder-upper" - no better than those who still write checks.

You smile apologetically, sweat pouring from your brow until at last you find it.

You big silly.

It was there all the time. Right there. In that teensie, weensie, little crease on the bottom of the bag. Clearly visible to anyone with a magnifying glass.

Looking back at your cart, you groan.

Do you really want that water?

Maybe manufacturers have a conspiracy. Bags weighting over 20-pounds are required to have barcodes cleverly hidden.

For their entertainment hidden cameras could catch us as we struggle because they couldn't be that dumb. Could they?

At any rate I'm fighting back.

Lately I’ve begun asking store managers to request that manufacturer’s place the barcode on the top of the product.

After all, they’re buying 10,000 bags of whatever so they must have some clout.

In the meantime, you go to your fancy club for a workout. As for me, I will don a back brace and go to the store.

> Discuss this entry