Maybe it'll turn ideological, with Red State types chirping out "Merry Christmas!" and Blue State types snarlingly replying "Happy Holidays!" while atheists sneer and say "Bah! Humbug!"

I'm an atheist and I say Merry Christmas to everyone, unless I know they're Jewish.

P.S. The holiday is mostly about the worship of shopping anyway.

Well, obviously, if the bagger at a grocery store gives the wrong response to "Merry Christmas," particularly since he's used to hearing "Thank you" all day, that's a sure sign that verbal communication has gone the way of the dinosaur.

Bag guy = on autopilot

It probably tumbled out of his mouth just because that's what tumbles out of his mouth at work when speaking with customers. Go off script, and you can trip someone up easily when they're just working from script.

These guys.

I'm a terrible - whenever I go to the movies, they say "enjoy your movie" & on autopilot, I inevitably go "you, too!"

> I inevitably go "you, too!"

☑

Y'know, Gregg's bagger was just thinking about how he was going to make it to Toys 'R Us in time to buy that Justin Bieber doll for his little niece, the one he forgot about while shopping over the weekend. It's a holiday. Also, we have to be nice to people who say stupid things at funerals.

Also, I think it's totally OK that this thing happened to this girl.

Besides, you gotta work that stuff.

Years ago a friend asked to meet for lunch in a moody Italian place on Wilshire... We stepped from the bright Pacific sunshine into a quiet realm of candles on wine bottles.

The waitress had a few unusual vowels in her greeting. When she came back with our drinks, I asked "Is that a Washington State accent?"

She was appalled. "I'm from Noo Yawk!" she said, with resentment straight from the subway.

Apology: "Sorry, I couldn't tell... It's kind of dark in here."

It was, too, so the woman couldn't tell if I was kidding.

My lady friend could, and picked up the check.

By the way, even if you really like wet chicks, I think this is going too far.

'Merica: Kentacohut!

(reddit)

Crid, the Pizza Hut/Taco Bell combo has been around for quite a while now. My kids call it Taco Hut. I just call it Taco Hell.

The busy bagger was expecting Gregg's line to be "thank you." Just a reflex, not a language problem.

I like getting all my favorite foods under one hut.

Bill Flanagan did this piece about "no problem" on CBS's Sunday Morning show.