Today's Visit at Walmart

-By Jim Culp

11/23/2016

Today I went to the Walmart located at Legends Kansas City (that's about 435 North and Parallel Parkway).

I gathered a few simple items, and headed up to the self check out, because as with any Wednesday before the Thanksgiving Holiday, there are four checkers for the sixty five people with loaded carts trying to get out of the store.

I scanned my items, and prior to moving to the "select payment" screens, I double checked my sub total, which the machine indicated was $49.72.

"Wait a minute, I thought. "That doesn't look right, even to my superior third grade arithmetic."

Then I remembered that I had my smart phone with me, and whipped that little doo-dad out and opened the calculator application.

I added up the items, and they totaled up at $36.62.

"Hmmm...." I thought, let's do that again. Of course, being the OCD guy that I am (life has taught me some hard lessons), I did it three more times. $36.62 each time, no error.

I called the self check attendant over.

"Um, Ma'am, look at this." I showed her my findings.

She said, without a breath, "oh, you're not counting the tax."

I informed her that even with the taxes, it would only be ( I was guessing) about $40.00 or so. (I also couldn't remember whether the machine adds the taxes at that point, or after you select a payment option.)

She stated "well, I ain't sure, but let me get a manager."

The manager came over a few minutes later.

She immediately took out her calculator, and added the items up, which gave her $36.62 as well.

She then stated that since something was wrong, they'd just ring my items up at HER register, meaning the one the attendant uses at the self checkout area.

They both proceeded to re-scan my items, and this time, they came up with $49.79.

She then said, "yep, that's right. With .09% tax, that comes out right.

I asked her what she was smoking, and why the amount came out different.

She said "that's what we came up with Sir, and that's what we're going to do."

I left the cart sitting at her station, and walked out of the store without another word spoken, or the waste of another minute of my precious time off from work.

I also would not engage in a battle of wits with two unarmed cave women.

I reached my car, and sat there thinking, "I wonder how many thousands of people a day that happens to, and it's never caught?" That could easily translate to millions per day in Walmarts' pockets.

I guess the reason I wrote this is A) it was therapeutic, and B) check your figures at Walmart.