Holiday (Un) Cheer

I don't mean to sound like a grouch, but my experience at the grocery store today was really frustrating. I got home and asked my husband if people were really this idiotic or if was I just irritable today. He responded with probably a little bit of both. I'm going to argue, a lot of one and a little of the other. Three pieces of evidence, case in point:

1. People don't know how to navigate grocery store aisles with their carts. It's really just a lot like driving cars on the road, but people don't seem to be able to make that connection. They stop in the middle of the aisle with their carts on a diagonal to scan the shelves and compare prices. I don't fault them for price shopping, but they seem to ignore the fact there are hundreds of other shoppers trying to do the same. Some shoppers also don't know how to turn from one aisle at the end, and into the other. Half the problems in the store would be solved if people would just keep moving and pull their carts all the way to the side if they need to stop.

2. I have tried so hard to be kind and patient with the baggers. I know when the store is busy it's high pressure to get everything bagged. If there is a particularly quick cashier, the bagger sometimes struggles to keep up as the groceries come flying through the conveyer and down into the collection area. But why is it so hard to abide by a few simple rules? Mind you, of all the jobs I've had over the year, I have never worked in the grocery store. But I still know, keep the cold things together, put all the produce and meat together if possible, and boxy items pack well when you keep them together. Oh yeah, and as if anyone needed to be told this, chips and bread should get packed with six packs of Pelligrino and gallon jugs of water. Duh.

3. It's not hard to be courteous driving in a parking lot. You know there is always a lot of foot traffic in a grocery store lot. Why is it so hard for some people to drive at a steady but cautious speed, and pay attention to the doggone road? Stop at stop signs, let pedestrians cross, use your signal. And for heaven's sake, when the light is green it means go!

I would have let it go. Really. I got frustrated again when I got home and unpacked these bags that were all packed poorly. But truthfully, I would have let it all go had I not been writing endlessly today to get caught up on my posts.

I feel better now. Thanks for listening.

Image from CNN.com