The Uncivilizedness of 15 Items or Less

I am here today to campaign for the abolition of the 15 Items or Less lane at the grocery store. It is my contention that with the introduction of the Self-Serve lane, now a fixture in most grocery stores, the necessity of the 15 items or less lane has become extraneous. But more than that, the 15 items or less lane is a breeding ground for uncivilizedness. And I will not stand for uncivilizedness. Even if it’s a word I made up.
It’s common knowledge that the 15 items lane serves as a convenience for those of us who have popped in for a few quick items. Rather than wait behind someone with an overflowing cart containing two weeks sustenance, the grocery gods, whoever the are, have deemed 15 as the magic number to appropriate one’s use of this lane.
So while at the grocery store yesterday, I found myself with 9 items and ready to check out. I joined one other person waiting in the 15 items lane. A lady with two items got in line behind me and just as I was considering letting her go ahead of me (even though I only had 7 items more than she) (I am saintly like that, what can I say) a lady with one item got in line behind her. So I kept my place in line and began to load the items from my cart onto the conveyor belt.
To the casual observer it may have seemed as though I had more than 15 items because there were a few larger things in my cart like a big bag of charcoal, a case of soda etc. But if one were so concerned by the number of items I was purchasing they would merely need to count them.
Too difficult this task proved to be for the two ladies behind me, as I heard one say to the other loud enough for me to catch it, “Isn’t this the 15 items lane?”
“I know, right,” said the other rolling her eyes.
I can not explain to you how much I detest passive aggressiveness. If you have a problem, just tell me. Or count my items and realize you’re in the wrong and apologize to me for being snide.
I was angry. I hate being made to feel wrong when I am clearly and so obviously not wrong. But rather than perpetuate the rudeness by commenting back to her, I took the high road. And had a 5 minute long conversation with the cashier while she huffed and puffed and festered in her uncivilizedness. Ha!