attitude at the grocery store?

Aren't times tough enough that a person shouldn't be getting sassed at the checkout counter? I was running errands yesterday before I had to pick up the kid after school and stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things. We get our prescriptions there, so I got those first, and then after a hasty glance at my list I grabbed some cereal for the kid, a loaf of bread, and some bologna for sandwiches.

On my way to the ten items or fewer checkout lane I checked out the prepared food section, because sometimes these timesavers also save my sanity. They had a big pre-made salad, a spinach quiche, and some marinated mushrooms from their olive bar that I could use to either make a light dinner or a couple of lunches for us.

I put my items on the conveyor belt and fished for my card when I heard the cashier say something — but she was also looking around, so I wasn't sure at first that she was talking to me.

She repeated her questions, "$32? What are you buying?" I just stared at her. Certainly she wasn't giving me crap for what I was purchasing, was she? But she repeated herself, again. I looked at the product read-out. Yes, those items all add up to $32. Kinda sucks. But I'm also kinda in a hurry, and I'm not always going to be a coupon queen. If I want some marinated mushrooms, etc., dammit, why the hell not? Of course now I'm even more pissed at myself for letting this check-out person make me question the wisdom of my purchases and my lack of frugality.

I'd like to think she meant well, but it was clearly a shaming exercise, one she probably has done before. Maybe it makes her feel superior about her purchases at the end of the day. But I have no desire to look into her grocery bag. I will admit to vicariously looking at others' groceries and trying to piece together what sort of meals and lifestyles they might have. Sometimes it's fun, as the items don't seem to go together. But to take those harmless musings to the next level and actually call someone out for their three packages of Ho-Hos, "You're not really going to eat those, are you?" No way would it ever even occur to me to do that.

Maybe she was just envious of my marinated mushrooms, or the kid's Lucky Charms (a breakfast cereal she may have thought were mine — admittedly my few assorted items probably looked like a single gal who doesn't know how to shop). Regardless, I'm looking forward to our quiche and salad — with a nice side condiment of marinated mushrooms. And hopefully, less input next time. Maybe I should request the store install a self-check-out lane.

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