During my high school years, I was a bagger. Yes, a bagger. One who places things in bags; that was my humble beginnings. I was bored most of the time, and the only time I wasn’t bored out of my mind was when I was chatting with customers or pushing the carts outside. It was not very safe, but I got to wear a bright orange vest! During all my hours of boredom, particularly those on the weekend when I had 8-hour shifts, I would look forward to my break when I could talk to my best friends.

When it wasn’t break time, I would think of things—lots of things—things about how to bag more efficiently, my goals for my life, or just funny things to tell the customers. I would try to connect with my customers to see what different types of people came through. One day, a customer said she wanted the “default option” for paper or plastic, and I asked her if she was a computer scientist for her language choice. Another time, I was talking to a customer, telling him about my college applications, and he asked me what I had and what organizations I was part of. I responded, “I wish I could tell them I am a part of the NBA”

“Huh?” he was very confused…

“Yes, the National Baggers Association!”

“Oh, is that a real organization?”

“No! But I wish it was!”

He looked at me for a good long minute and then started to laugh! I went around for the whole next month making that joke…