Sometimes I Write

Just the sight of her makes me want to run as fast as I can for the other exit at Walmart. Every week I do my grocery shopping there, and about twice a month Rose stops me at the door. I know her by her name tag, gray hair, and the familiar, “Can I see your receipt?” Tonight was no exception. As I headed towards the door I turned the corner and there she was just waiting for me. She made her usual request and I had to bite my tongue to keep from blurting out, “Are you kidding me??” There were plenty of other shoppers leaving the store in front and in back of me, but she stopped ME. Is this a conspiracy? Does she really not remember me from the last time? Is she just irritated that I shop with my own bags? They’re really cool, from Sam’s club, and they keep your food cold up to six hours – which is good since that’s how long it takes Rose to look through the contents of my cart.

I handed her my receipts – I always have two – one for food, and one for supplies, or non-food items. She looks the supplies receipt over and hands it back to me. I put it in my purse. She then begins to read the other one, and poke around in my bag. “Where’s your milk?” she asks. I sigh and tell her it’s in the bottom of the cart behind the big freezer bag. She can’t take my word for it and walks around the cart to check for herself. Then she takes the bag on top, which contains a $3.00 basketball hoop for Petey’s birthday and says, “I don’t see this on your receipt.” Is she kidding me?? I pull the other receipt out of my purse and tell her AGAIN that all of the non-food items are on the receipt she already checked. I’m thinking, “Am I being profiled or what?” I had already decided that if she asked me to empty the contents of my freezer bag I would bid her a polite “No” and “Goodnight”.

Here are my theories:
1. She works for Dave Ramsey and is checking my receipt to see if I actually paid cash for my purchases. (Just finished the 13 week class)
2. In the past I offended her in some way while I tried to hurry past her.
3. Someone needed to give her something to do so they posted her at the door to harass poor innocent mothers who unsuccessfully shop late at night to avoid the crowds.
4. She used to work for Sam’s Club and can’t quite let go of the receipt checking habit.
5. God is answering my prayer for patience. See if I pray for that anymore! 🙂

Alas, I made it home before sunrise and decided the story was good blogging fodder.

**I appreciate all of the comments on my last post, and I posted another one myself if you’re interested in reading it. Thanks!**