I enjoyed this reading. The main character named Howie (according to a review I found online in the New York Times) has amazing attention to detail. He observes things about, not just objects, but human nature that I would take for granted.
When he asks for a bag for his milk it's pretty unnecessary. The milk is going to take one hand to carry; he could have done without the bag, but he notices that it's a habit of ours to hide possessions.
Habits like this are an important thing to keep in mind when designing. For example, people wouldn't want a chest of drawers made out of glass, no matter how easy-to-use the sliding mechanism or how straightforward the organisational system.
Howie also mentions that he likes to keep one hand free even if it would be easier to carry everything using both hands. I do this too; people like to be able to respond to things quickly and I think it is linked to the way a lot of students wear only one strap of their backpacks so it can be taken off much faster. I hope companies that design bags and luggage take things like this into consideration in terms of reinforcing stitching etc.
Another thing Howie commented on was the 'floating straw.' I've found a couple of solutions.
You can buy titanium straws here. Or you can thread the straw through the tab of the can.
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