Recently I was at Il Bachio in Delray Beach enjoying a drink with a friend. When it came time to leave, I paid with a $20 bill.

When the waiter brought my change, it was short. "Did you already take your tip out of here?" I asked.

With a very flippant air he answered, "No, I rounded it up."

That means instead of returning my exact change, which would have been $9.62, he returned nine dollars.

I was not happy, and the 62 cents became his tip.

The next day I called and spoke with the manager. He seemed to think it was no big deal. He said the waiter didn't have change and I could just take it out of his tip.

So am I supposed to have the exact change when I go to a restaurant?

A friend of mine went on vacation in Sanibel and said this happened to them the first day. The second day they spoke up.

For myself, I have decided that if someone rounds up bill up and keeps the change, that becomes their tip.

This practice is common at some establishments. It is, by the way, not lawful. It can add up over a year's time to a nice sum and is not taxed.

But most of all, I find it presumptive and rude.

What do you think?

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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.

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