We didn’t send Christmas cards this year. This was mostly because our son was not home from college soon enough to take a picture with our daughter. Thus, we sent New Year’s cards. I needed stamps so I went to Costco. I love Costco. It’s 5 minutes from my house, so I am a regular visitor. I get fuel and electronics and groceries and even stamps.

I went right to the checkout area and reached the shortest line simultaneously with a guy pushing a cart full of salt. I waved him ahead as he struck up a conversation with me. This is not an unusual event at Costco. It is uncommon at places like the bank, the post office, or Home Depot, but not at Costco. People seem to be happy at Costco, but I suspect there is more to it than that.

He noticed that I had no cart and nothing in my hands.

“You’re not buying anything?” he said.

“Just stamps.”

He nodded. Now it made sense. I asked if he knew something that I did not know. There was a long pause. He did not catch on to my inference that he must be expecting a snowstorm of which I was not aware.

“I noticed my salt container was half full,” he said.

Now I realized that he was not planning on spreading it on his driveway. Water softener. We continued the small talk until he completed his purchase.

I’m not one for chatting people up in line, but I’m happy to participate if someone else initiates it. On the way home I wondered why people were chatty at Costco and not at Kroger. It’s essentially a similar experience. One needs milk or meat or an eight-horsepower pressure washer, one picks it out and then proceeds to the checkout area. I realized what is different at Costco is that everyone is a member.

There’s really nothing special or exclusive about it. They don’t ask for a reference or check to see if you have blue blood when you join. Fifty bucks and you’re in. Just the same, there is a kinship when you hold that ID card.

We have our own little club in the ED. It’s not as profitable as Costco – everyone has to pay there. Nevertheless, we are still a club. The clerks, nurses, techs, security guards, registration folks, and doctors are all in it. There is no entry fee, no membership card, and no initiation. Anybody crazy enough to want to work in the ED is in.