Long Lines: An Economic Observation

I made some "economic" observations yesterday. I was running errands and had a number of stops to make: Target, PetSmart, pick-up prescriptions, grocery shopping, ATM, make-up at the department store and a quick stop for Starbucks.

Target was pretty empty. I not sure if it was because I was there at mid-day or because it was the day after Labor Day or if it's because the kids have gone back to school. In any case, I breezed through, found an open register and was out of there in 20 minutes.

The same was true in the department store and PetSmart; no one in line at the Starbucks either. In and out; get what I needed and I was on to the next errand. The joys of discretionary spending.

Now, the rest of the errands were a different story. The line at that drive-thru ATM was eight cars deep. I guess we all needed funds after the long weekend. The cars weren't zipping through as usual; each of the transaction seemed to be "thoughtful". I know I changed my mind at least three times while waiting: how much do I want to withdraw?

The line to pick-up prescription was about ten deep. In line were some elderly, people with crying children and those who were visibly "not well". All were complaining about the line. I know the pharmacy had recently changed it's computer system, but that wasn't really the problem. The clerk explained that they had also experienced some "right sizing"; they added pharmacists, but reduced the tech and clerk staff. So, we have more pharmacists moving at the speed of light to keep up with the demands and less staff to pass the product on to the end user. A recessionary evil; not to mention that we are probably an over-medicated society.

The grocery store was buzzing. People running into each other with their carts, blocking lanes and making serious decisions over brand names versus generic. The bread aisle was being restocked and the shoppers were taking the bread off the stock boy's cart. The bulk sale aisle was full of people taking advantage of the "10 for $10" sale. I only had a few things to get, so I maneuvered through the masses, picked up my five items and went to check out. You would have thought it was the evening before Thanksgiving. They had seven registers open including the express lane and the U-scan. Lines formed behind each lane. The U-scan lane, which I chose, had at least twelve people in line and we were snaking out down the seasonal products aisle (which already has Halloween candy and costumes - yikes!). No one, in any lane, had a lot of items; there were just a lot of shoppers and fewer clerks to check them out. All of the managers were manning registers.

These lines are also a recessionary evil. Fewer employees to serve the customers; and those fewer employees are dealing with a heavier work load. No one complains because this is the sign of the times. We are literally standing in "bread lines."

On my drive back to the house I noted yet another business closed down. I started rambling off the names of local establishments that have fallen prey to the economy. My sister, who was accompanying me, chided me for being "such a pessimist". I retorted that I was "a realist". Pessimist, realist or optimist, we are all standing in more and more lines.

Lines for groceries; lines for medicine; lines for unemployment benefits; lines at job fairs; lines at clinics; lines at gas stations; lines at the "dollar store" and discount emporiums.

When a line forms, I ask myself, do I really "need" this item? Do I want to "stimulate the economy" or do I want to save my time and money? And so the cycle continues, I don't stand in line, I don't spend the money and the retailer cuts back on staff and then I have to stand in line the next time I go. Or are the long lines a sign of recovery? I will believe that when I have to stand in line to buy lingerie.

Remember, the line forms in the rear and we're all frustrated.