Shopping Carts
I thought I was lucky when I spotted the apparent vacant parking bay near the entrance of the supermarket; only to discover that it was occupied by a shopping cart. I sighed and started looking for another parking bay. Why do people do it, I wondered.The immediate thought was that it was being inconsiderate behavior or sheer laziness but after a while I realized that it was not so simple. I managed to identify five reasons why people don’t return their shopping carts.
1. They believe that it's someone else's job to collect the carts.
2. It is too far from where they've parked their car.
3. They have a child whom they do not want to leave unattended.
4. It is raining or it is too hot or too cold etc.
5. They're leaving the carts for someone else to easily pick up and use.
6. They have a disability that prohibits easy movement.
And when I reconsider, five of them boil down to laziness. The only exception is No 6 and that is bullshít too because there are special parking bays for the disabled, so their carts won’t end up in normal parking bays.
Similarly, there are five categories of cart users:
1. Returners. These people always return their carts regardless of how far away they've parked or what the weather is like
2. Never Returners. People who never return their carts. They believe it is someone else's job to fetch the carts.
3. Convenience Returners. People who will return their carts if they are parked close enough.
4. Pressure Returners. People who will return their carts only if somebody is watching them.
5. Child-Driven Returners. These are people with children who view it as a game to return carts, riding them back.
In retrospect, I’m inclined to believe that external factors have nothing to do with returning the carts; it is determined by the attitude of the person who used the cart.
On second thoughts, shopping carts in parking bays does not really bother me that much. My girlfriend was bítching about the toilet seat again and I just had to find something to bítch about. Anyway, I told her that when I’m at her house I’ll leave the toilet seat the way she likes it and that when she’s at my place, I’d expect her to leave it the way I like it.
I expected a little of an argument but she said nothing until she left some 10 minutes later. Although she denies it, she’s upset about something and I don't know why. Women can be very finicky. Probably PMS. I’m not very clued up with these female diseases.
Comments (7)
I am always friendly with the security guards, so they take my cart and unload it in the car and takes the cart back. Of course I tip them.
Thinking about it, I think I am lucky to have people who willingly carry my shopping. At the butchery, there is a guy who never lets me carry a bag. Most of the times shop people volunteer to take my bags to the car.
May be they all love me. But a younger boyfriend I dated in recent past said it's pheromones I produce that men seem to be at my service.
But I wish to think, it is because I am a nice person. Not pheromones.
I love your toilet seat compromise, fair is fair.
I see somebody else also referred to Map's trolley ventures. I'm afraid I missed it. I suppose this is the punishment for staying away too long.
If not for all the sharks I'd swim the Indian Ocean to carry your parcels.
I think I must pass your comment on to her for apparently she does not agree with me. She's not talking to me yet. It would seem that I started my tantrums too soon.