Public Nuisance

Since all Costcos everywhere sell the same things at the same time, give or take, I'm sure that there are thousands of karaoke machines being tested by teenagers across the country, to the despair of non-singing clerks and shoppers. I have nothing against karaoke per se, but it is best experienced in a room full of people who have had a couple of drinks to get up their courage (and to soften the aural blows which are about to descend). The rub, of course, is that the sort of people who sing karaoke when they aren't a little drunk are so often the sort of people who ought not sing it at all. Like the quartet of teenagers who wandered off key through the groves of "I Will Survive" as I went looking for ravioli and Double A Batteries today.

The nice woman in the checkout line in front of me turned and winced. I winced back. We agreed that if Costco is going to make karaoke machines available to all comers, the least they can do is serve margaritas to the rest of us.