I had an interesting encounter at the grocery store today. I got into a line to check-out with just a few items needed for the day. There were not very many check-out counters open so there was a line several people deep at each counter. Lucky for me, after a year of living in Singapore I am a "black belt" at waiting in lines! When it was finally my turn at the front of the line the cashier looked me up and down and then promptly informed me that this was a "green line only" which means you are required to bring your own reusable grocery bags if you want to check out at that counter. Kind of like the "10 items or less line". I was caught off guard to say the least. But there was no way I was going to get back in another line to checkout so I looked the cashier right in the eye and pointed at my jumbo sized purse and stated "yes and this is my carry bag". This comment was met with a snicker from the person behind me in line who had no less than seven neatly stacked reusable bags ready to go. At that point, I really started to worry that my purse was somehow not the appropriate specifications for a reusable grocery bag (this paranoia is again the result of living in Singapore). I held my breath and waiting with the same guilty tension I have when I enter the "10 items or less" line with 14 items. After a long pause and another once over, checkout lady finally sighed heavily and said "ok" and rang up my items. Thank goodness!