Welcome to Your Friendly Neighborhood Costco

In this post I might sound like I'm ranting, but I'm not: I learn valuable lessons about myself when I visit the Costco Store.

1. When I take all of the kids to the store (often) and push a full cart around the store I start to get worn down. I finally make it through overpaying for all of my goods and see the door to freedom only to be halted by the receipt-checker-person. I get it. They have to check to make sure every customer isn't a thief. But why do you have to hold up the line drawing that stupid smiley face on my receipt? Don't make me stand there while you darken in the eyes, or add your own personal extra flourish, and then show it to each child in turn as if your drawing will make our day. Can't you do stickers if you want to be gimmicky? It's like a slap in the face. They're checking to see if you stole something and they they want to give you a smiley face to take away some of the insult. (just kidding, Costco lawyers)

How is it that I can make it through my shopping experience, time after time, in relative calm and happiness but that person at the door just sends me into a dark mood. I am fighting back the urge to tell the person not to draw that happy face. How stupid would that be?! I try not to glare. I usually don't smile at them. Then I wonder to myself what my problem is? They're wondering that, too. ~~~Most importantly I'm wondering why I would let something so trivial irritate me and upset my day?

Check out the blog where I found this photo!To think there are people out there encouraging this sort of behavior!

2. A few weeks ago at Costco some old crusty guy called me a "d*mn **tch." He sort of said it under his breath as he passed me so the kids didn't hear it. It was one of those busy Saturdays where there are way too many people, especially in the check out area. The lines always stretch out clear to the food aisles so that people can't get past easily. But there was this gap. Myself and the four kids and the loaded cart went for that gap at the same time as this crusty guy, but he was coming the opposite direction. Well we both were in that gap at the same time, next to one another, and it became apparent that we both weren't going to fit. The kids were hanging onto the side of mine and I had to tell them to get behind or in front so they wouldn't get smashed. Both me and the guy stopped while they moved and then we both went on (it was a squeeze, but we made it!), with him doing some name calling.

It was kind of shocking to me because this was Costco! Surely I might hear swearing at the local fleamarket, but Costco? I'd never been sworn at in a store before, nor in the last, I don't know, forever? (that I know of!) But I didn't feel bad about my actions. I felt justified to be a little rude. Bad, right? Normally if I unintentionally inconvenience another shopper I mutter a sorry as we pass, but this time I didn't feel like it. His words didn't hurt my feelings and after awhile I was laughing to myself about it. I felt "okay" with being called a name. Admittedly it was partly his appearance that made me okay with it. If it'd been a well dressed man and not some crusty old guy with whiskers and beer in his cart, I'd be hurt. ~~~ Most importantly it made me wonder about how often people are upset at me for my actions but I don't realize it because they aren't the name calling type? How often do I know my actions might upset someone else but I just don't care?

3. The last time I went to Costco I had all of the kids with me again. It was later at night and not particularly busy. I had finished my shopping and was headed toward the check out line. I was going to be the next person. I see this other guy leaving another line and making a beeline for "my" line. We've all been there, right? I was going slower and he looked like he was going to cut me off. So I was slowing down to sort of see what this guy would do. He looks at me and says with a smile, "It looks like you have a few more things in your cart than me." I smile at him and say, "Go right ahead."

I cannot tell you the level of my disgust towards this guy. And then I just had to marvel at myself and my reaction. Here I was doing a nice thing, and previously not upset about anything, and here this guy comes and now I'm fighting not to call names show my irritation! ~~~I'm still wondering why I got so irritated, but I'm thinking it goes back to some selfishness on my part and not being sincere in my "niceness."

Now can you imagine what I was thinking when I got to that receipt-checker with her smiley-face a few minutes later?

I don't have a therapist, but if I did, these are the sorts of things I would talk about in my session. I want to be nicer and I'm sure some people think I'm a nice person but after these experiences I just have to question. Do other people wonder about these sorts of things when they go to Costco or are you nicer than me?