Please Give Me a Bag

Who was most harmed by the introduction of fees for plastic shopping bags?

There are various opinions regarding the charging for plastic bags.
Some say it hasn't led to environmental improvement,
others say that carrying a personal bag is a hassle,
and some ultimately blame Shin-chan, who was the Minister of the Environment at the time.

I, too, largely agree with that last opinion.
Shin-chan is a nice guy, but I just can't accept the plastic bag issue.

However, for me, I couldn't care less about environmental issues.
There is a much more pressing, hair-raising, and significant problem right in front of me.

The problem of "not being able to buy a plastic bag."

It's not that I don't have the money.
In fact, I could even dare to choose a large size when a small one would suffice.
I don't mean to brag, but I am wealthy enough for that.

The problem is my "social anxiety."

Before plastic bags were charged for, it was peaceful.
The clerk would silently put my items into a bag of the appropriate size.
And I would silently pay.

Oh, what a wonderful era that was...

However, the introduction of fees changed everything.
At the end of the transaction, the clerk asks,
"Would you like a bag?"

Here, I am forced to make various decisions.

I want a bag.
But I have to say, "Please give me a bag."
What is the appropriate size?
What about the volume of my voice?
Will my deep voice carry through the noisy store?

If the size is wrong, I imagine myself holding items that won't fit,
if my voice isn't loud enough, I imagine the clerk saying "Huh?"
and if my voice is too loud, I imagine myself drawing the attention of the entire store.

Judging from the number and size of the items,
and the fact that I don't have a personal bag,
a clerk who asks, "Would you like a large plastic bag?"
is equal to a god.
Now, let's imagine the interaction in the store.

"Please give me a plastic bag."

"What size?"
"...Large, please."
"Huh?"
"Hmm? Oh... small, please (thinking that large was wrong)."
"Huh?"
"Small!"
In this way, I end up declaring to the entire store that I want a small plastic bag.

In the end,

I am left holding a small plastic bag
and the items that didn't fit
in both my hands.
What do you think?

I hope you can understand that this is far more important than environmental issues.
My mentor used to say, "Don't get caught up in the immediate, look to the future."

But on this, I cannot compromise.
Teacher, please forgive me for focusing on the immediate plastic bag issue rather than environmental problems.
Now, modern society is touted as a world of diversity.

However, despite that, it pays no attention to those with "social anxiety."
Can we really call this a diverse society?
That is why I have made a decision.

This weekend,

I will march through the streets shouting,
"Human rights for the socially anxious! Social status for the socially anxious!"
But I probably won't gather any followers.

Because everyone,

is "socially anxious."