Do You Have Your Mother's Permission?

I fully understand where Lileks and Collier are coming from. Two years ago, I got this what's your name-address-phone# treatment while buying socks from a store. The whole bloody process took ages. My jaw dropped when they asked for my address, and then the phone number.

Me: I don't have a phone!

Cashier: Well, we gotta have a number.

[My friend walks over to see why it's taking so long and offers his number]

Me [to myself]: Never shopping here again, dammit.

And I haven't since. I don't understand why some stores have such an intrusive and pain in the ass process. It only succeeds in pissing off customers.