Okay, y'all, tell me if I'm being too hard. I know y'all will tell me the truth!
A couple of days ago I was in my local Wally World. I could've gone to the express lane, but I was right at 20 items, so I thought I'd test my patience and go through the regular check out. I accidentally cut in front of a woman, and as soon as I did, I apologized and let her go in front of me. (She had just about the same amount of items that I did.) Karma points, right? One of the clerks told me that another lane looked like it was going faster, so I moved.
So, I'm waiting patiently with only 2 people in front of me, and the first person appears to be almost through. Then the person in front of me starts getting checked out. I had no idea that WalMart will honor specials from other stores. The lady was armed with several different ads and a spiral notebook. Item by item the cashier changed the prices and had to write something down each time. The lady was incredibly organized, I'll give her that. They get through the items that needed to be changed, then the cashier rang up the rest of her order.
Near the end of her order, the lady says that part of the order will be paid for by food stamps. Okay, she's trying to get the most out of her food stamps, and I silently chide myself for the thoughts I had of "why doesn't she go to each place that has the cheaper price instead of buying everything at WalMart?" (I'm losing my patience by now!) Then I hear her say to the man that's with her: "Oh no! I don't have my billfold with me. Would you go out to the car and see if it's out there?" Great, lady. She told the cashier to close her order out and check me out. Which the cashier does graciously. Then, the lady pulls out her....(wait for it)....
I just don't get it.
(Scream!)
ReplyDeleteI taught GED classes one year. They had free tuition. Free childcare. Free books. Free transportation.
Had no time to study (or come to class).
But they did have satellite t.v. when I couldn't afford it. They would come with like the largest bags of chips and soft drinks...which I couldn't afford.
I never got it. I never will.
I do know that there are those people who are truly trying...but where are they?
Okay. You hit a sore spot with me, can you tell?
Well here's my .02...we just never know what's going on -the back story if you will so I won't make a judgement about that particular situation. Sometimes people are gifted special things or lucked into it somehow and that could be her story. I know people in ministry who are given cars, nice electronics etc that they wouldn't buy for themselves so I try to keep that in mind when I see something like what you describe.
ReplyDeleteThat being said though, here's how I feel...people make choices in this life. We all make choices. When someone talks about not being able to afford healthcare I want to ask what can you afford? Can you afford two cars? Cell phones? Cable tv? These are things we now consider necessities over paying for health care. I'm not saying there aren't people who can't afford any of that but its a separate issue.
We have relatives who say they don't have insurance but they have other 'luxuries'...they've made a choice. Fine. But then don't expect me to pay for your healthcare when we have elected to save and plan and put money into ours.
I guess this wasn't meant to be a diatribe on National Health but it was a handy example. I believe we have a responsibility to help those who cannot help themselves but many people on the bandwagon don't fall into that category.
Shall I hit post? Yes I guess I will : )
Oh, honey!! I feel your pain! I'm impressed that your good humor lasted as long as it did! (And yes, you will get serious Karma points--someday!)
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding me? I woulda had to shake my head on that too... this is from a "normal" phone person too.
ReplyDeleteMy brother & his wife struggle financially & are in credit card debt to their wazoo but they both have iPhones & that irks me everytime I see them with those phones!
I definitely understand where you're coming from, but, I have to say I feel for that woman too. I know from experience, things can turn around quite drastically in a very short amount of time. I have a basic plane jane phone, and I do not get food stamps, but we're one job loss, major illness or accident away from being in that woman's shoes. I never thought I'd be able to picture that.
ReplyDeleteOh girl you hit me with a pet peeve this morning. I waited in line at the end of Sept....end of the month...I was scrounging for necessities...when the ladie in front of me....talking on her Blackberry (which I don't have either)reached into her Coach purse(which I don't have)andddd....paid for her steak, roasts, and other fancy groceries....with her food stamps and WIC....and paid for her beer and cigarettes with cash....and then...to add fuel to the fire....when we both left the grocery store...I got in my 4 year old HHR....and she got into a brand spanking new Cadillac Escalade...with leather seats, onstar, etc....and the price tag still on the side. I could have bought 4 HHR's for what she paid for that one. I seethed all the way home.
ReplyDeleteIn a word, Mary....No. You are not being hard. I have a plain phone that makes and receives calls. Oh, and I can send and receive texts. No pictures, no internet, no music and I prefer it that way.
ReplyDeleteOh, but I could go on and on about this one but I won't. I'll just reassure that you aren't being too hard.
The same thing just happened to me. It amazing that this is allowed to happen! The whole system needs an overhaul!
ReplyDeletehonestly, I've been thinking about this since I read your blog earlier this morning. I have to admire her diligence for the ad prices, I don't think I could be that organized or diligent. I have to admire your patience for staying in that line, I would have been silently fuming perhaps but patience is not one of my strengths, but working on it :)
ReplyDeletehaving said all that, I don't know her entire situation. Maybe she had one of those contracts where you had to keep the phone/plan for a few years and they recently lost their jobs and got on food stamps. Maybe she is milking the system for all she can get. I don't know. I've learned through the years there is usually more to the story than presents itself so I try not to be (too) judgmental about what others may or may not have or may or may not do. make sense?
betty
I don't get it either. I don't even know what to say, it's mind boggling.
ReplyDeleteThat just isn't right!!! I don't think our government does enough checking into the people who get food stamps. My niece new a girl who was on food stamps yet her and her husband had two new large SUV's! I just have a regular phone and my husband has a droid too!
ReplyDeleteMary, this obviously strikes a cord with many of us. It doesn't seem to make sense when a government program that is supposed to be a hand UP turns out to be a hand OUT at the expense of regular folks just trying to get by.
ReplyDeleteAnd I sympathize with the comments above about health care and choices.
Adding fuel to the fire, what about the family I know who has seven children, and have planned/saved nothing for college for their children, but expect that the children will qualify for tuition assistance...
vs. the young man I know who came to this country 3 years ago, has learned English, and is working full time and going to school full time. His parents have no money for him to go to college, but his plan is to go into the Air Force, serve his adopted country, and get a good education so he can CONTRIBUTE. He does not WANT to go back to his birth country and is counting the days until he can become an American citizen.
....yup....
I am so with you!!! I have a friend I dearly love, but she gets help from her church, both money and food....and she has an iphone with ALL the bells and whistles.
ReplyDeletePriorities. Some people have them, some don't. Irritating, isn't it???