The Importance of Toothpaste.
I pulled my shopping cart into the only lane open. The conveyor was full of food, more than full, it was packed. A cart was pushed up against the side, about two feet back from the checker. The checker was scanning the items as quickly as she could, but there wasn't a customer around. I pulled up behind the nearly empty cart. Still inside the cart was aluminum foil, toothpaste, mouth wash and two sacks of disposable razors. Soon a man appears with his arms full of steaks. He smiled at me as he stepped around my cart and loaded them onto the conveyor. I expected him to put the rest of the items from the cart onto the converyor, but instead he steps around the cart, starts taking the bags that have already been filled and puts them on top of the items in the cart. I know I looked at him rather oddly, because there wasn't anyway possible he couldn't see he was putting bags on top of the things already in his cart. He put about three bags on top of them as he kept looking at me watching him. I wondered to myslef, with the large bulk of items he was buying, why he'd risk stealing the few measly items he was trying so hard not to pay for. Finally, he sort of exhales loudly and takes the items out from under the sacks and puts them on the conveyor...everything except for the toothpaste. He never looked back at me to see if I noticed it or not, but there wasn't anyway he could have missed it.
When the clerk is finished and his cart is full of sacks, all sitting neatly on top of that lone toothpaste in the bottom of the cart, she gives him his total amount. He pulls out the Texas Star card, which is the card that Texas uses for it's version of food stamps. He slides it through the debit/credit card machine and the clerk gives him the total amount still due. She tells him the amount still due is for the aluminum foil, the mouth wash and the two sacks of disposable razors. Apparently the Texas Star program only covers food and beverages. He asked her to please take those items off of his total as he dug through his sacks to locate each of the items and handed them back to her.
I'm glad he got to keep the toothpaste.
When the clerk is finished and his cart is full of sacks, all sitting neatly on top of that lone toothpaste in the bottom of the cart, she gives him his total amount. He pulls out the Texas Star card, which is the card that Texas uses for it's version of food stamps. He slides it through the debit/credit card machine and the clerk gives him the total amount still due. She tells him the amount still due is for the aluminum foil, the mouth wash and the two sacks of disposable razors. Apparently the Texas Star program only covers food and beverages. He asked her to please take those items off of his total as he dug through his sacks to locate each of the items and handed them back to her.
I'm glad he got to keep the toothpaste.
posted by kathi | 4:38 PM
16 Comments:
Unbelievable.
You had me wondering where you were going with this. Good post, it made me laugh
Our friend has one of those cards for here in Georgia and I was surprised that certain things like diapers and toothpaste aren't covered but soda and candy are.
At the least toothpaste should be on the list of approved items.
This is so sad...
I think I would have paid for the things not covered...but thats just me.
I read this a few days ago but wasn't able to figure out how I felt about it. I am still unsure. I am happy he got the toothpaste but sad and angry he stole it. ugh... what crappy decisions.
You wonder how we get where we are today, Toothpaste is not allowed but steak is!!!!
And I hate when people leave their cart in line and go back and finish their shopping. I mean I can relate to the person that forgot the bread and there is no one in line. The sad part is he will just return later and steal the stuff when someone less ethical is behind him in line. The funny part is he read you right. You didn't turn away or pretend to not to see. I can hear you saying to the man "excuse me sir but you have some items left in your cart"
Wow...A lot of folks are doing this. They just don't have the money....some folks think they will never have to do this, but they lose their jobs and well we know what happens..120 teachers are being laid off in one school district. Enrollment is down by 23 percent. Folks are becoming employed everyday..I could care less about him eating a steak- heck that might be the most joy he even gets...
That is just sad!
Hope all is well with you, Kathi!
Margie
Steaks??? He won't pay for the toothpaste, but he gets steaks???
That's bull!
Yeah...too me....stealing is wrong. It's such a tough thing though. Our culture is in the habit recently of rewarding people who do the wrong thing...over-borrow, illegally immigrate.
epsilonicus ~ agreed
RM ~ I had 1/4 of what I needed in my cart due to what I could and could not afford. Paying for what he couldn't afford was not an option for me.
lovelladro ~ I ditto those feelings.
katy ~ :) Actually, Even though I made it obvious that he wasn't getting away without someone noticing, I figured it was between him, Wal-mart and God. I wasn't going to say a word. Oh, hush...it was NOT the first time.
Rose ~ it's very sad.
dabich and Johnnie ~ here's my thing. I could easily qualify for food stamps right now, so I don't begrudge this man. With that said, if you get so much money on the card, I'd like to think I'd make it stretch as far as possible, such as hamburger or chicken, fruit, veggies, dairy or whatever would feed the most for the longest amount of time instead of using such large dollar amounts for steaks and the sort of things he was buying. That is my only complaint. The stealing, I dunno...can't judge. I don't approve, of course, but just can't judge.
You paint the picture of the scene so vividly.
Still around, madame. And just where did you think I went, Hoboken?
Okay, let's try that again with the correct account,
Still here madame. And just where do you think I went, Kalamazoo? (I like that one better)
Hey Kathi, it's amazing how entertaining shopping can be eh?
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