While in line to buy a fishing license at an island business on July 3, 2018, I observed the behavior of a male county employee that needs to be addressed. This behavior lacked professionalism and involved an inappropriate demeanor while he was making a purchase at the store.

At the checkout counter, the cashier politely asked this customer, “Do you want a paper or plastic bag?”

The customer’s harsh response was, “You shouldn’t be using plastic bags! Show me the bags!”

The stunned cashier, a young male teen, got out a bag and showed it to the customer.

The customer then said, “Oh, that is a thick one, that is OK. I work for the county’s solid waste division, I need to know these things.” Seeing that the young cashier was obviously flustered, I turned to this customer and said, “Aren’t you off the clock?” He then looked at his watch and glibly responded to me, “Oh, in one minute I’ll be off.” He then said that he is never off the clock when it comes to the environment.

It was poor judgment, to say the least, for this man to confront the cashier, who obviously was too young to have any power over the type of bags being used at this store. Even if the cashier was the owner, the checkout stand is neither the appropriate time nor place to question business practices. Is this tactic of bullying used regularly by overzealous county employees? Is there a new investigative unit called, “Plastic Bag Police?” I am a staunch supporter of maintaining a clean environment, but confronting adolescents while on the job is bullying!

An apology is in order to this cashier, and to the store for this inappropriate interrogation.

If this county employee, who works for the Solid Waste division, isn’t disciplined for his poor judgment, bullying tactics and inappropriate use of power — then maybe the solid waste division should redefine what it calls, “solid waste.”

Mary Metro

San Juan Island