No one would ever accuse me of having OCD. I do things like let my children wear their shoes on the wrong feet and forget to mop the kitchen floor. I'm organized, but I only flinch a little bit when someone messes with my system. And I'm way too lazy to run back into the house to check anything once I've gotten all the kids strapped into the car. So I know that I don't have a traditional version of OCD.
But let me screw something up and boy, can I obsess about it. If pressed, I can probably list all the times I've lost my temper with my kids - in chronological order. I can tell you all the things I need to do around the house (and haven't). I can tell you all the times I've been thoughtless and/or rude to people.
And I can tell you about the time I didn't help the woman at Wal-Mart.
She had food stamps and some cash. I looked at her purchases, mostly food and diapers. She had a few baby barrettes and a baby dress, too. She was in line in front of me and for most of her purchase I was busy adding up my items, hoping I'd have enough money to pay for them. It was one of those right before payday trips when we lived in Kansas City. We had $50 in the checking account until we got paid in two days. I had $47 in purchases in my cart. Anyway, it turned out that she didn't have enough for her purchases. She looked so sad as the clerk took the baby stuff back. I wished I could give her some cash, though I was surprised that she didn't have enough.
But now I know why she didn't have enough. Did you know that food stamps don't cover personal health items like diapers or soap? I didn't back then. And I didn't want to give up what I was buying to help the woman out. And I still feel bad about it.
So in the interests of alleviating my guilt, I thought I would mention thediaperbank.org. Because diapers are expensive for most of us, but especially for people on food stamps. I mean, I get that food stamps are supposed to be about food but. . .as any parent knows, diapers rank right up there with food when you've got poopy little ones running around. And soap. Also a necessity. Shouldn't food stamps include these things?
Maybe Obama can fix this problem too.
Anyway, to that woman at Wal-Mart three years ago? I'm sorry. I wish I could have helped.
10 comments:
I knew that, but only because I was on food stamps years ago and my step-mom complained endlessly (and for good reason) about how they didn't cover diapers, soap, shampoo, tampons and pads, etc.
There used to be a website where you could click a button and tampons and pads would get sent to women's shelters but I don't have the url anymore. It was one of the companies who makes those things...
Great post.
I have people like that, too. People I wish I'd helped.
Thanks. Just thanks for being a good person.
Catootes - Thank you. I'm trying. . .
You're not bad for not helping that woman at Walmart. I'm sure if you had wayyy more than enough (ie millions) you'd help her. :) I don't have children but I know how expensive diapers can be. Maybe it isn't food stamps that should shoulder it, but rather programs like the WIC or other targeted programs for children.
I have things like that - people I wish I'd helped and times I wish I had spoken up, times I've said something I shouldn't have or made someone feel bad intentionally. Damn, I'm a shitty person.
P.S. I think you're a great person, by the way.
Catootes - Thank you. I'm trying. . .
You're not bad for not helping that woman at Walmart. I'm sure if you had wayyy more than enough (ie millions) you'd help her. :) I don't have children but I know how expensive diapers can be. Maybe it isn't food stamps that should shoulder it, but rather programs like the WIC or other targeted programs for children.
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