Cashier: "Good Evening Sir, will you need a bag?"

 - Earlier this year Austin passed a city ordinance banning plastic bags. Stores now offer reusable bags for sale ($1-$3 depending on style preference), or paper bags for sale (usually a token 10cents).

Sir: "I forgot my bags," said huffily, "and by the time I had realized it, I was a few miles from home. Cost me more to turn around."

 - Couldn't relate. I drive a Prius for the sole purpose of being able to turn around when needed items have been forgotten...socks, water bottles, littlest child, etc.

Cashier: "Would you like one of the paper bags sir?"

Sir: "I could just bring my plastic ones from home."

 - Really? But not the reusable?

Sir: "Or I could shop in Buda."

 - Buda is the town directly south of Austin and not under the Austin ordinance. Just a guess....but that drive may be more expensive then turning around for those reusable bags.

Cashier: "I'll just ring up one of these paper bags for you."

Sir: "Too many liberals in Austin. Tree-huggers."

 - At this point I really wanted him to turn to me with a good 'ole boy, "ain't it so?". Seeing how I had already placed my reusable bags on the conveyer belt with my purchases....I was pretty sure that wouldn't happen. But in my head this conversation occurred:

Sir: to the lady in line behind him (me) "Ain't it so?"

Lady: "Not in my opinion. I for one am duly reprimanded by the liberal environmental concern occasioned by rampant avarice and ignorant self-centered behavior. As a Christian I am also humbled by the lack of Christian presence in treating God's creation with honor and respect - such behavior belittles the Creator Himself."

  - I did not campaign for the plastic bag ban. I am not even sure how I feel about the governing authorities using their power to require reusable bags. But golly. How self-righteous and egocentric to complain about an attempt to "better the world" and loudly deride the group of people attempting to do so. 

May my children be a force of change in this world...not just through ordinances and political maneuvering (in truth, I hope they stay well enough AWAY from the political field!), but through honest, life altering introspection, common courtesy to fellow man, and a biblical filter on any word proceeding from their mouths.

AMEN!