Now...with that tangent aside, I have a confession. There are a few different people that I constantly catch myself wondering what they might be thinking about me. It's all light hearted, but I admit it happens. These people just happen to have jobs that tell a lot about the people they serve. I'm talking about a librarian and a grocery store cashier. Think about it--the books you check out at the library say a lot about you, as does the food you are constantly buying at the grocery store. Shopping at a small town store or using a small town library makes matters worse because it's always the same people checking you out.
For example: One time in high school I had to check out a bunch of self-help books for a project. I honestly feared hypothetically that I was going to get called into the school counselor because I could have given the librarian a hunch that I was suicidal or had an eating disorder or something.
Sometimes I wonder while the cashier is scanning my groceries if she thinks for example, "lettuce; healthy, potato chips; not healthy, oranges; healthy, baby carrots; healthy, Oreos; delicious but not healthy," etc. until she is done scanning my (or anyone else's) groceries. Then she makes a final judgement call whether or not our family is eating healthy.
What I'm really leading up to is the rare moment the cashier actually comments about what your buying, especially if it's a personal or somewhat embarrassing moment. Or when the librarian makes personal comments about what you're checking out. That's when you know they really are thinking things about you.
A family member of mine (names have been removed to protect the innocent) once had a cashier remark, "uh-oh" in a judgmental tone when she scanned a pregnancy test she was buying. How do you respond to that, especially when you really wanted a baby and were having no luck getting pregnant?
I had a cashier tell me once that a certain food I was buying reminded her of something completely inappropriate and disgusting (I'm leaving this vague on purpose) that I no longer wanted to eat the item by the time I got home. I actually almost complained to the manager about that one.
Once at the library I was checking out a book that I was somewhat hesitant and embarrassed to check out, but had been recommended to me. When the librarian scanned it she said, "this is a really good book." Then the other librarian, who was talking to a friend, asked what it was about. So then these three people had a whole conversation about the book that I was already embarrassed to check out.
My young women's leader growing up had an intense phobia of buying a certain item at the store, but an item that none-the-less had to be purchased occasionally. The none-the-less day arrived for her and she attempted to make her purchase. But for some reason the price tag was missing, or something went wrong. If I remember correctly the cashier (who was also in our ward) got on the loud speaker and called the manager to the check stand to verify the price on said item. (Yes, she announced the item to the whole store, unless I have the story wrong.) Needless to say she was mortified and she may or may not have ran out of the store without her item before the manager got up there. (Kristy, or anyone else from Y.W.'s, do you remember this? I still laugh about it to this day.)
Today's incident was nothing major, but it's what fueled this whole post. I was stocking up on cake supplies, I had a bunch of powdered sugar, marshmallows, and other sugary items on the conveyor belt, along with a few regular groceries. My cashier remarked, "That's a LOT of sugar!" Today my final judgment was apparently "not healthy." She must not have cared too much though because then she asked Maggie if she wanted some Smarties.
I know I'm not the only one that has had these experiences. What have cashiers or librarians said to you? (Yes, I'm fishing for comments :) )
7 comments:
I totally understand the phobia of it all. I live in a small town too. and no I dont ever go to the library but the store yes and no comments there. and i used to work there and I never even payed attention to what people were buying when i checked them out. But the one thing I can say I hated buying was pregnancy tests. even if i dont know the people and i dont know why i felt that way especially since i was married. nothing wrong with being pregnant especially when you want to be but i was always embarassed and I didnt want anyone I knew ever see me with it either.
Yes, I SO remember that story!!! Ha ha ha I think of it every time I have to buy any sort of "girl" item and it still makes me laugh!!! I love that story. Also I always think the same thing as we are checking out at the grocery store. We live just two blocks from the Smiths so we always go there and the employees recognize us... they never say anything about our purchases but I'm always wondering what they think about our addiction to Chips Ahoy Candy Blast cookies!
I do remember that story from YW camp. I didn't remember it in the detail you did. So I probably won't be able clarify but I too am still laughing--thanks for the reminder. I can still hear HER telling it.
Too funny though about the healthy vs unhealthy. I always think they will think I am over spending or that I am buying unnecessary items. I am glad to hear others have similar thoughts.
Funny thing that you posted about this, because today at the grocery store something similar happened, and it went like this: After ringing up my groceries, the cashier asked, "cash or credit". I generally prefer to pay debit because then I'm not "living on credit" but I also recently learned it's safer to swipe as credit, even your debit cards, so I have been trying to remember that. But I still cringe when I say credit because I think the cashier is judging me about "living beyond my means" and such. So, when he asked me cash or credit, I said, "Credit", afterwhich he launched into discussion about the evils of credit cards and how it is so hard to pay them off. I felt slightly uncomfortable as our financial situation is less than desirable, but what was I supposed to do, but nod and smile at all the right moments and then escape with my groceries that were 1/2 healthy and 1/2 unhealthy. =) And I DESPISE buying pregnancy tests. I would prefer to wait and let nature tell me.
A month ago or so when I was at the grocery store and I saw that my favorite brand of margarine was on sale, so I got a whole bunch of it. Well, as the cashier is ringing up my items, he informs me that margarine is no good. That he won't eat margrine, only butter. He almost made me feel stupid for buying the margrine. I was so frustrated with him!!!... On the other hand, I've always been embarrassed to buy "feminine" items, I don't know why, but I am. So when I have to buy them, I always go to a girl cashier, even if the line has a lot of people. I guess I feel a girl cashier would understand me buying those things better then a guy one!
I was definately a sight at the grocery store when I bought the last pregnany test...Bianca was screaming in the cart, and jack was making a mess of the candy bars by checkout. I could tell the cashier was thinking "oh, you poor thing...let's hope for a negative"+
when we were going to disneyland, I took a trip to the store just to buy fruit snacks, goldfish, mountain dew, jerky, crackers, squeeze cheese, and lots of sour treats...I actually felt so weird about buying all junk that I mentioned to the cashier that we were about to leave on a road trip, and I needed all the "car essentials".
hahahaha I knew exactly who you were talking about. She's still terrified about that stuff. Gotta love her. I'm totally the opposite. If it's on sale you gotta stock up on the good stuff right?
Anyway, I always seem to run out of cleaning supplies all at once. I once had someone say, "wow, you decided to clean did ya?" Like I've never cleaned before. Sheesh. If only you saw my home, well not right now, but you get it. Love you Janessa
Post a Comment