In article ,
"Stormin Mormon" wrote:

I went into a Rite Aid pharmacy a couple days ago. Select a
couple items from the close out section. The perky young
thing on the register asks for my Wellness Card. Being a
miserable, cantankerous old coot, I tell her I don't have
one. "We can sign you right up for free! Just fill out...."
and I told her that's not going to happen. Well, find out
the only way they will give me the sale price, if I have a
"Wellness card". Which of course requires my name, adress,
etc. I do not wish to be tracked, tagged, marketed,
suggestive sold, and registered with their computer. I told
them to put thier own stuff back. Today I checked with a
different Rite Aid, and find out that's the same policy.
They just lost a customer.

Every supermarket has these cards here, virtually every hardware store
and drugstore as well. We're being trained to surrender our privacy. Two
years ago, feeling testy after working a few 80 hr. weeks in a row, I
was in a supermarket buying their largest bottle of laundry detergent,
and I didn't have a "club card." I told the cashier I wanted her to give
me the discount anyway, which amounted to ~ $5, and she refused.

Our discussion became ugly quickly, and I demanded a manager. By now
everyone's attention was on the situation, and the manager arrived
quickly, determined to "take charge" and deal with the disturbance (me.)

"Is there a problem?" he queried in the snottiest tone he could muster.

"Yes," I fumed in full voice (and my voice carries,) "There is a
problem. I don't want to be ****ed in the ass at the cash register just
because I don't want to join your stupid ****ing club."

He "86'ed" me. Gosh.