Seattle's fever has broken

[susandennis]

And it's deliciously cool out. Plus the clouds are mostly hiding the sun. It's such a wonderful reprieve.

I had the pool to myself this morning. I don't think it's going to be crowded again until after Labor Day. Then I went to get my hair cut. He cut it way shorter than I wanted it but he always makes a good shape so the only thing standing between me and the haircut I really want, is time. No biggie.

I strolled through the flea market. No buttons at all. None. But an interesting stroll anyway. And then a couple of more errands and then home by which time I was starving. So I made a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Did the trick.

One of the errands was to Grocery Outlet where, often, there are people in the store who have no money or just barely enough. It's not at all unusual for me to pay for the groceries of the person in front of me who is buying maybe $5 worth of stuff or sometimes $10 and I'm not the only one. It's a common practise. Today, there was a guy in the store who came up to me and tried to engage me in an involved conversation. I smiled and moved on. Then he was ahead of me in the cashier's line. He was making life hard for the cashier who wasn't handling it well either. Finally he said very loudly, "well, no I don't have any money but I thought someone in this line would pay for my stuff". No one offered. I should have. His stuff was $6 and I had a $10 bill. I could have just handed it over and told him to keep the change. I didn't and I'm not sure how I feel about it all beyond just wishing it hadn't happened. That Grocery Outlet is an interesting interesting place. You always get way more than grocery bargains there.

Ok now I need to put my grocery bargains away. I think I might take a stroll up to Daiso today. If only as an excuse to get out and take this cool for a drive.

Comments

[jocosa]

I'm glad you chose not to pay. He was obviously trying to engage you, and probably others, in convo to make new pals. Who'd so thoughtfully pay for his groceries. That is not how paying it forward works. Or that whole "kindness of strangers" thing. That's just being an asshat.

I have a Grocery Outlet near me as well, walking distance. It's a pretty mixed bag of people there too. With a handful of homeless inside shopping with whatever they got from begging/recycling, or outside begging for change to go inside.

[susandennis]

I wish I was the kind of person who looked passed how a person presents and just give because I can and they need. Asshat or not.

[jocosa]

I'm all for helping others, when I can. I don't know that (generic) person's story. How they got to that place in their lives. Bad luck, bad choices, unexpected events. I'm not gonna judge. Hell, it could be me someday.

But to me, someone expecting others to pay for them because "that's what happens in this store" is not the same as someone just needing a little help. I don't reward bad behaviour in a child, or an adult. Maybe being a nanny has changed how I view the adult world. Lol.

[xina-g.livejournal.com]

We're getting a little rain here finally. Not much, but enough to wet down all of the fine dust on the build site next door.

It seems kind of presumptuous of the man to do it that way. I don't mind paying for someone else's stuff in a shop sometimes, but to have a stranger kind of 'expect' it makes it an awkward situation. That would make me feel a bit odd and uncomfortable.
On a side note, man I really do miss Grocery Outlet stores. When I lived in Idaho I'd go there and Liquidation World all the time. No Grocery Outlet here in Canada, as far as I've seen. We had a Liquidation World, but it closed and I am not sure if it opened in a new location or just.. went away.

[susandennis]

I love all those places like Liquidation World and Grocery Outlet. In a not very healthy way :)

[meowmensteen]

I recently had a guy in front of me at the grocery store who was having issues getting his card to work. I so wanted to pay for his groceries, but I wasn't sure if my paycheck had gone into my account yet. I felt bad walking past him later when he was outside the store on his phone with his bank trying to straiten out his finances so he could go back in and pay for his groceries.

[underwear-slave.livejournal.com]

I think that’s amazing you will pay for someone groceries when they can’t. That being said I feel like this guy was scamming so I get not helping him at that moment in time.

[susandennis]

It's not that unusual around here to pay someone's bill. I'm just following the crowd :)

[opakele.livejournal.com]

The rain today was glorious!

I don't like to be manipulated and dig in my heels when I feel I am. I would have done the same thing.

[susandennis]

I was on my way over to the ID when it started and I got rained on going over and coming back and it was just the most wonderful treat.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

His attitude would have turned me away from a good deed.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I can't believe that happens at the till, I don't think that has ever happened to me. If someone is short a few pence and I have it I will always give