And, yet, I'm the "broken" one.

[Proverbs31:28]

I just don't get people. At all. I used to think I understood but clearly I don't. It just seems to me that there are certain things so logical, so rational as to lend themselves to only one conclusion. So, why is it that I am the only one drawing those conclusions?

I went to the dreaded grocery store today. Knowing that this is a source of anxiety for me, I rarely go alone but today really had no choice. When I do go alone, I typically use self checkout so I won't have to "deal" with the cashiers and so that I can be assured my items will be bagged properly. Of course, thats not foolproof because there always seems to be some glitch with the self checkout and the warden has to come over and reassure herself that I am using their system appropriately. But, I digress.

Because I have started a new budget plan, I was buying for 2 weeks today instead of 1. I figured this had an added bonus of only going to the store 2X month instead of 4X. And, that would be true if the grocery store was staffed by logical, rational people. It is not.

With such a large amount of groceries, I took a risk and headed to a cashier-staffed checkout. What a horrifically unpleasant experience it was. Despite me taking the time and effort to group my items on the conveyor belt in categories which would ensure they are bagged in the correct order, the cashier just randomly grabbed items, tossing them into bags, in no particular order! Lemonade in a bag with poptarts! Frozen food in a bag with bread! Fresh fruit in a bag with rice and string cheese! What was she thinking?

How is it that I am the broken one when I can clearly see the need for order and the people I am forced to deal with liven in random chaos?

[mrsdz]

I too get anxiety with stores and never go alone. I do the same when shopping,even with others, head to the self checkout to find the "warden" hounding me for one reason or another. I can understand your about the bagging order, smashed bread, crushed boxes ect... I do not think that the baggers are even concerned in the least about damaging your items since they are not the ones paying for it.

I do not feel you are broken at all. I think some of us just take a different path of life than others. There are certain obstacles we need to overcome in order to get where others are.

With having said that, I am very proud of you going to the store alone! That is a huge step for people like us who get sick about going. Even with the chaos and poor bag packing from the workers, Do you feel good about going at it alone?

[kaudio]

Good job with the shopping! I sometimes find it difficult shopping for a week's worth of groceries alone, but you went for two weeks worth. That is worthy of respect in my humble opinion.

I go to a store with minimal service. Customers buy the bags and bag goods themselves as the cashier runs the items through the till. This way you can pretty much dictate what goes where, which seems to be what you are looking for. Do you have any stores in your area like that?