John Grogan, in his book, Help, I’ve fallen and need a good laugh!, writes the following story, “A person was in the process of checking out at a grocery store and placed one of those rubber dividers between their things and the person’s things behind them. The check out clerk rang up all the items and then picked up the divider. Looking for a bar code and finding none, she asked if the person knew how much it was. ‘I think I’ve changed my mind about that, I don’t think I’ll get that today.’ The clerk never blinked and set the bar aside, having no idea what had just happened.”

What lesson can we learn here today? Before anyone decides to call and complain that I am picking on grocery store cashiers, I am not. I was one. In fact, I got my start as a cashier at a local Fred’s SuperDollar Store. I have been a manager at a Taco Bell. I clerked at a Wal-Mart and at Hibbett’s Sports. I even was a student custodian during college. So, no, I am not picking at anyone.

I am picking at everyone, myself included.

The story that Grogan talks of is a prime example of busy people not paying attention to what they are doing.

That is all. Have you seen the bumper sticker, I know you have, that says, “I am so broke, I can’t pay attention.”

It causes a giggle because in some cases, it is true.

We all get to the point of working to survive or doing things to do good, and we forget to pay attention to the little details in life.

Are any of you guilty of that?

I know I am. I have been in the newspaper business for 13 years, and I still have problems editing, with grammar and laying out pages. I could use 1,000 excuses, and have, just like all of you. “Oh, it is this stupid computer.” “I didn’t do that; she did. Or the one I can use now is, “I’m the new kid.” Oops, did I write that in black and white? Guess I can’t use that excuse anymore for mistakes I make, like when I have a typo in an obituary or put the wrong page number on a “jump” story or the crossword puzzle is blurry. (I can just see my executive editor and my publisher nodding right now, eyebrows raised.)

I was in line at one of the local restaurants in Americus when the manager came out to apologize to a person in front of me. Apparently, the French fries were hard. The manager said there was something wrong with the fryer.

Watching the people working behind the counter, I decided to observe the action. A hamburger with ketchup was put in the bag belonging to someone who ordered a chicken sandwich with mustard, a vanilla milkshake was given to someone who ordered a Coke, and never once did I hear the fryer say, ‘Ouch, something is wrong with me.’

Excuses, we all use them. Sure, some are valid. If we all really took into consideration how many times we use an excuse for a mistake, would that excuse really be valid, or would it be really because we were not paying close enough attention?

I am with you. I would rather blame the dog for eating my homework then telling the teacher I forgot it.

Becky Holland is news and education editor for the Americus Times-Recorder. She can be reached at becky.holland@gaflnews.com.