earth creature. a parable.

       I was in Gabriel Brothers awhile back. I picked out a couple of t-shits and took them up to the checkout counter.  The cashier rang them in and I said (as I do at every store) "I don't need a bag, I'll just carry them out".   She stopped.   She looked at me with astonishment.   There was a moment of silence before she slowly formed the words "Are you one of them...earth.....creatures?"     That's what stumbled out.  The Gabriel Bros. cashier asked me if I was an earth creature.     I gave it a moment to sink in, then I smiled, and said "Aren't we all?"     She looked at me and said very seriously that Gabriel Brothers policy is that every purchase leaves the store in a bag, and that I did, in fact, need one. 
       I said, "Okay, but I'm bringing it back to you."
Then I took my bagged t-shits to the car, removed them from the bag, and returned the bag to the cashier.   I didn't stay to see, but I'll bet she threw it straight in the trash.