Blue Law Blues

So I pull into a Wal-Mart in Manning South Carolina around 1 a.m. and find out the store is closed till 6 a.m. no problem I have time so I wait till 6 and go in and do some grocery shopping and went to get some batteries and lo and behold the whole non grocery area of the store is roped off.. and a nice sign that states: Due to South Carolinas Blue Law no general merchandise can be sold till 1:30 p.m. !!! What the………I’ve heard of no liquor sold on sundays before noon, but general merchandise? What Ancient, Puritan, BS is this? Its O.K. to buy food but not a pack of batteries? I wondered what would have happened if they did sell me a pack of batteries? Would some men dressed as pilgrims arrest me and throw me in ye’old stocks? According to the employees this has been a law since the states founding in the 1600’s to keep people from conducting business before church. I guess some poor person missed the first 10 minutes of a service due to the selling of a cow or something and made everyone wait. O.K I’m ranting and need to quit. Maybe it’s time to get with the 21st century in the south.