Rules That Defy Logic

The other day, I was at the supermarket check-out counter waiting in line to pay for the stuff I bought. The guy in front of me wanted to buy a packet of cigarettes. The cashier replied that she couldn't sell it to him because he was in uniform. The guy asked if she would sell him the cigarettes if he was not in uniform.
The cashier replied, “Yes.”
“Okay, so I take off my uniform.” And he proceed to strip off his jacket, which has got ‘Civil Defence’ on it. (He had a tee-shirt on under the jacket.)
The cashier smiled and handed him a packet of cigarettes.

I said, “Hey, wait a minute. He is still in uniform. He still has his trousers and boots on.”

Nah.... I didn’t say that. Anyway, the moment he paid for his cigarettes, he proceeded to put on his jacket.

I was like – Really! Did that just happened! ?

I can understand that it is not good for the image for serviceman to be smoking in uniform in public, but not allowed to buy a packet of cigarettes? And the rule was bypassed simply by his removing his jacket?

Was that a bending of the rule through creativity of the serviceman? Or through flexibility of the cashier? Was the rule stupid in the first place? I guess it was just life - people doing what they do best. Getting around obstacles.

On another ocassion, at another supermarket, a cashier was scanning my basket of items when she came to my six-pack – not the six-pack on my abodmen, but the beers in the basket. She asked if that was alcohol. I remember thinking – what a weird question.
“Yes.” I said.
She said, “I am sorry, you have to pay for your beers at the other counters. I am under-aged. I cannot sell alcohol.”

I made her repeat herself so that I would understand what she was saying and what she meant.

And then I tried really hard to understand why is it that an under-aged cashier cannot 'cash-out' alcohol.

All she got to do was pick up the six-pack and scanned it. The alcohol is in the tin, so she didn't even come into contact with it. She was not buying the beer. She was not drinking the beer, she was not selling me the beer like some promoters were selling their wares in the outlet. She is not going to become an alcoholic because she was cashing out alcohol. If it is such a big issue, then she shouldn't be allowed to work. Hmm... puzzling indeed!

Well, I didn’t see the point in arguing with an under-aged girl about a rule she wasn't responsible for. So I just told her to put the beers aside, (that was allowed, she didn't 'cash-out' the item) because I am not going to join another long queue just to pay for them, and I certainly am not going to put the beers back on the shelf for them.

Sometimes, you just have to wonder who set all these rules and if they realized how ridicculous these rules are.

Or am I missing something here? Do let me know if I am, so I can wise up.

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