Loving what's next

In 1974, I made a trip to the local drug store to buy a couple of items.  The store was a mom and pop drug store.  There weren't any signs in the aisles to let me know where to get the items, so it took me a couple of minutes to find them.  I paid by check, so I had to write out by hand the six items required.  The cashier punched actual push buttons with numbers on them on the register.  When the cashier had finished punching in the prices of all the items, (s)he would punch the total button and a bell would ring for the cash drawer to be pushed forward from the bottom of the register ("ringing up the item" was the phrase used).  The total due showed on metal tabs in a window at the top of the register.  Time inside the store was about 10 minutes.

This morning I made a trip to the local drug store to pick up a couple of items.  It was a national chain store, so when I entered, I knew to look over each aisle where the signs were located telling me what the aisle contained.  I spotted the aisle with the items I needed quickly and proceeded to check-out.  The cashier hit a red square touch field on the register monitor, scanned the bar code with a laser gun, touched the square on the monitor labeled total, and was finished with her part.  I swiped my debit card, entered my PIN, tore off my automatically printed receipt, and left for home.  Time inside the store was about 4 minutes.

My goodness what  a different world I live in 38 years after my 1974 trip to the drug store.  Going back in time or living in a previous era absolutely has no appeal.  I look forward to the advancements of the next 38 years.  I may not even have to go to the drug store at all then.  I will probably order with a device much like the smart phone.  My bank account will be automatically debited, and a delivery robot will ring my doorbell with the item within a few minutes of purchase.  Life should be so good! 

And when teleportation of items materializing in front of me is possible... Oh my...  shopping might just take on a whole other dimension.