Ten Items or less

I was quietly chastised by the express cashier at Shoprite for having over ten items. I counted two bananas as one item. Same with apples, plums and oranges. She said each fruit was a separate item. By your logic, I reasoned, this bag of grapes contains over 250 items. No it doesn't, she responded, because I only have to ring up one price. But you must weigh them first, I argued. That takes more time. Add in the time you wasted counting my items. Plus (I was rolling now), that woman in front of me ran off to get extra paper towels and we had to wait on her.
The cashier insisted that was within express line parameters because she was back before her order was going to be rung up. I huffed that the tension wondering whether she would make it back caused all of us undo stress. I turned to the patrons behind me, expecting them to back me up. Instead, they just glared at me as though I were the problem.
Here's the issue--Pathmark and everyone else has self scanning lines replacing these friction generating express registers. Plus, all the standard express lines are FIFTEEN items or less, providing more leeway for busy shoppers with important itinerary. How Pathmark lost so much money A&P had to buy it is beyond me.
I took my bags and left without another word. When I got home I discovered one of my apples was bruised. That cashier jammed her thumb into my fruit, no question. I'll get her back, depending on the camera angle on the surveillance CD I'm going to demand.