“I’m sorry, sir. My line is closed.”

He holds up a can of peanuts. “But I only have one thing.”

I look at the time on my register: 3:12. My break starts in three minutes. “My line is closed,” I repeat.

Before Peanut Man can even get to another line, a woman steps up. "My line is closed," I inform her.

She looks into her hands. “I only have these two items.”

I began to repeat myself but something happens—words don’t come out of my mouth, just a loud, deep growl. I look to the ceiling and the growl magnifies. The building begins to shake, the lights overhead begin to spark. The woman’s eyes widen as the floor beneath us starts to crack. 

I only growl louder.

Merchandise is falling off the shelves. Glass is shattering everywhere. Parents clutch their children, terrified. From outside you can hear cars braking, then a collision. 

I look at the clock on my register. 3:15. I close my mouth and the horror ends. I walk away and enjoy my 15 minute break.

Moral: Cashiers don't care if you only have one item when they say their line is closed.

I found this article, blog thing on dictionary.com.  Give it a once over.

The Harvard Business Review recently reported that multinational corporations are encouraging—or mandating—their employees to speak English. Samsung, Airbus, Microsoft in Beijing and many others now enforce English as the language of their business. Even corporations that are based in foreign countries, like Renault in France and Rakuten in Japan, are mandating English communication for their employees. Back in 2010, Rakuten (Japan’s largest online retailer) became an English-only company, encouraging their employees to conduct all business in English: e-mails, memos, and verbal communication.

In 1997, the International Civil Aviation Organization (which regulates all international air travel) reaffirmed the importance of English as the in-air language of communication. To reduce communication problems, all pilots who fly internationally must speak English. So when a plane is flying from Paris to Madrid, the pilots must speak English. In the air, communication is a matter of safety, and in offices, it’s a matter of efficiency.

However in other realms, the standard language of communication has shifted away from English. As we discussed last year, the official language of space is now Russian. (Find out more here.)

This all begs the question: if people communicate better in their native tongue, are you doing them a disservice by forcing them to use English? Will employees be less creative or innovative if they cannot talk or write in their native language?

Do you think that businesses should be English-only? 

Now, when we usually talk about something being English-only, we talk about America making it the official language.  That usually comes with some debate, but what about businesses?  Is it a good idea?

I don't really like social discussions as one of my problems is not having the patience to deal with people who don't recognize their privilege.  I think in order for there to be a leveled discussion about a social issue, the person in the majority must first "check their privilege".

So (all of this in the context of American society) if the topic is race, white people must understand they come from a place of privilege.  If we're talking about queerness, someone who is heterosexual and/or cisgendered should know they come from a place of privilege.  The same is true for able-bodied people, upper-class (and sometimes middle-class) people, the religious--notably Christians, and even men.  

Being apart of a majority--not being apart of a marginalized or discriminated group--means you have different experiences in our society.  This is not to say that it is wrong!  You cannot help having privilege.  But as a person coming from these groups, you must know that your life is inherently different than someone who has been negativity affected by our social structures, even if you've never actively seen your privilege at work.  Privilege works passively; it works through perceptions.

All this is just to say: as a person in a majority, have empathy for those who are not.  Take a step back and understand where people come from, whether they are gay or trans* or poor or are of a racial minority.  Don't discredit their experiences, and understand that who we are and how we are perceived in our society means we live different lives.