One of life's many intrigues: the grocery store

I've been thinking about this a lot. Especially when I'm at the store and since it's my blog and I can do whatever I want and say whatever I want, I thought I'd like to discuss what's been on my mind.

First of all, why is it when you are in line at the store, personal space is no longer yours but now you must share that space with others? Whenever there is someone ahead of me I try as much as I can to give that person their space, but the gesture is never returned. It seems I always have somebody's cart shoved into my hip and they're shoving my things down the belt to make room for their stuff (I try to be considerate of my belt space too.) Then comes time for me to make my payment for my groceries. Often I pay with my debit card, now and then cash and Heaven forbid I pay with a check. After I make my purchase I like to put my card back and throw the receipt into my wallet so they don't get lost. I don't take much time, maybe 3 seconds on a slow day, but that is not fast enough. Without fail, the next person is already at the plastic square commenting on the pictures in my wallet and the balance in my checkbook. I keep thinking it's just that person, but it has happened about 90% of the visits to the store in the last 6 months.

Second, why when I pay cash, does the cashier give my change back like this... bills on bottom, receipt then loose change? Now I'm in quite the predicament, especially with the impatient yahoo behind me. You see, unless I want to just dump it all into my purse I have to now take the time to grab the change put it into a pocket of some sort, then put the bills somewhere else. I'd love to just shove it all into my pocket and run but when I try to take it out later everything comes spilling out and then I lose it all. Are the cashiers out to get me? It seems that they are. It's all a conspiracy I think....

Okay, you all should know by now that I'm an over analyzer. So now picture it.... you're at the grocery store picking out your favorite cereal for example and you see a friend from college or church or high school or the doctors office even. You know who they are, their name and their dog and now you are presented with the question of a lifetime.... Should I look over, meet their eyes and say hello? Most would say yes. I say no, try to avoid it at all costs for this reason alone: You talk, you find out how the other is doing, what their day is like, how Grand pappy is handling the death of his bird and on and on and on. You both after a few minutes go on to finish your decisions between Lucky Charms and Reese's Puffs but then later while picking out bananas you see them again. What pray-tell do you say again. You can't have the same conversation all over again because that is just silly, but it doesn't seem enough to just smile and say hi... that's too awkward. So if I do see and talk to someone I know I will usually book it straight to the check-out line whether finished shopping or not and leave quickly so that I don't have to deal with the awkward situation. Needless to say, I try not to shop anywhere near where I might know someone and if I do see someone, I hide. I mean no offense to anyone, I just don't know how to handle these kind of situations.

I am also mortified to buy toilet paper. Most people are embarrassed by other things, not me. I'll buy anything else without another thought, in fact I try to make a point of buying tampons and chocolate at the same time because I think it's funny, but you want me to buy toilet paper? I don't think so. I'll pull out the scarf and Audrey Hepburn sunglasses first.

Now my last piece of whatever you want to call this. About a week ago I was at Costco. I needed to get milk (it's so much cheaper there) but I figured I didn't need a huge cart for one box of milk. So I didn't grab one, my first mistake it would seem. Second mistake, I didn't put my membership card away. I kept it in my hand for convenience come time to checkout. Whilst I was walking to the "Milk Aisle" I saw a package of freshly cut pineapple, my third mistake. It looked so delicious and juicy I just couldn't pass it up. So I grab the package. I get the milk. Now I have the box (2 gallons in one box if you're wondering) balanced with the package of pineapple on top and my Costco card in hand. I drop the card and of course it seems as if everyone looks at me, so I'm trying to lean down and carefully pick up the card, the pineapple tumbles to the ground, my purse falls off my shoulder and spills everywhere then the milk goes. Now everyone in the aisle is now staring, mind you it's on a Saturday so it's packed. I begin to pick up all of my debris and while about 10 people watched me, not one person offered to help me. So now while I'm completely embarrassed by it all, I'm heartbroken that nobody would even offer to help me. So it's all frustrating and I begin to cry. I finally pick myself up and as I walk past all of these people, tears are streaming down my face. Mortification in it's finest. My point of this story is this.... Had I been one of those people down the aisle I would have gone to the girls aid. Maybe I'm too naive, but what has our society come to? Why did nobody help when it was obvious they watched the whole thing happen? I'm sorry, it just made me so sad.

Okay now I'm done venting about the frustrations of the Grocery Store and my irrational thinking. I do feel much better so I thank you for listening to my ramblings.

Oh and today at the store, this nice lady did let me go ahead of her when I had only four things compared to her whole cart-full. There are still nice people out there.