With my kitchen table littered with bread, produce, and cans of vegetables, I began inventorying my grocery shopping purchases so I could put it all away. (Not a small task when you consider food storage rotation, and 3 pairs of little "helping" hands.) I felt frustrated when I couldn't find the spaghetti sauce, put-out when the corn was missing, and, I'm embarrassed to admit it, hot tempered when the cream of mushroom soup was gone too. I was missing one whole bag of food. (6 cans worth $4.56 to be exact)
And I couldn't let it go. I just couldn't let it go.
So, I headed back to the store this time with all five kids in tow and right after school no less to inform the manager that I had been shorted and needed this situation corrected. It's hard for kids to go grocery shopping once a day, but twice is a real killer. So, my grocery trip to re-pick-up 6 cans involved a stop at the bakery to beg for cookies and watch a cake get frosted, a look at the lobsters and the fish with their eyes still in, and of course the multiple mini-conversations I have with other grocery store patrons about my ability to fit five kids on/in a grocery cart. Heaven help me. I just spent 45 minutes at the grocery store!
So after causing myself at least $10.00 worth of pain and suffering, I got the 6 cans and five kids loaded into the car and back home.
I started putting stuff away again and turns out I found the "missing" cans. Some "helping" hands (I'm thinking Amy) shoved them into random spot in my pantry. I just spent the better part of my afternoon stressing out over 6 cans that weren't really missing. Plus now I'm a thief, and I feel really guilty.
I called the store and had a conversation with the manager that went something like this, "Hi. I'm that crazy lady that came in saying I was missing a bag of groceries. Turns out I found them...in my pantry." That is when the snickers started. "I owe you $4.56. Do you want me to come in and pay it or just return the 6 cans?" All out laughter. Then the manager says, "I think you might have worn yourself out already. We'll call it even."
She was able to just let it go.
7 comments:
What a beautiful story! I think you should write a book. Do you have some canned lines to hand the idiots that ask how you fit 5 kids in the shopping cart?
i feel your pain... i have made it home without a bag of groceries and nothing is more frusterating when you have to load everyone up and head back to the store!
Sometimes your the windshield. Sometimes your the bug.
Laura, I can see myself doing the same thing...good for you!
Bless her soul for not making you come in and go through that for a third stinking time!
Got to love it. I will have to say that you are better then me. I would have just called it a loss. Knowing I would have to put all the kids back in the car and take them all out. $4.56 would have been to small a price to pay for all the headache.
Thanks for the laugh. I can't believe you went back with all the kids.
Post a Comment