OCD and the Environment

Liam on Tuesday afternoon, August 31, 2010

Tuesday Afternoon
I'm just beginning to see
Now I'm on my way
It doesn't matter to me
Chasing the clouds away
Something calls to me
The trees are drawing me near
I've got to find out why
Those gentle voices I hear
Explain it all with a sigh

Moody Blues

I have spoken before of my adventures with my retirement assignment of food shopping. I hate it. Okay. that might be too strong a word. Let's say I do not look forward to it and that this chore seems to come up so quickly. I have tried doing it during the day, then changing the day of the week and then the time of the day. After months of that I switched to Sundays, thinking most people would not be doing major shopping, just a few items on a Sunday afternoon, this is true. However, then my Sunday becomes a chore day and even in retirement weekends should be free. Then I went to Tuesday nights for most of this year. by doing it at night, when Paul comes home, l have help unloading the car. However, then I have "the chore" hanging all day. So I recently changed to day time again. Tuesday afternoon, a day usually free of meetings. book clubs, yoga, courses, all my retirement activities. I can involve Paul by leaving really heavy stuff for him, that would be non perishables. We can be a team on this chore 4 hours apart. Teamwork.
Starting with the month of August, I now go on Tuesday afternoon. With Sawyer's bigger trunk I can just toss the packages in and not have to be so careful arranging them, heavy, frozen, breakable, all that.
However, weekday, daytime food shopping is not like night food shopping.. The daytime customers are different. They seem purposeless, they meander about, very few have lists. They have no sense of direction. They make u turns in the middle of the aisle and crash into you. They are lawless, no one keeps to the right, they charge down the middle of the aisle. They eat as they go, nibbling grapes, cherries and whatever produce is in season; ostensibly testing for a worthy batch but really just grazing for free.
At night there is a crispness to the motions of the shoppers, a focus, a knowledge that time is not to be wasted. Most have lists and go through the store in an orderly manner.
Why are the daytime shoppers so odd? Does being out in the day mean that you are a dropout from society? Social mores do not apply?
I am one of them now.
I am a day shopper.
My latest encounter with oddness was OCD on the checkout line. We all have some OCD-http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/DS00189/DSECTION=symptoms
Checking the door over and over to make sure it is locked. At work I would go back to my cubicle to make sure everything was turned off. I would do this so many times that the staff would all yell, "Go, It is all off," not letting me back.

What I saw though the first August Tuesday was casebook sad, yet fascinating. By the time I knew what was going on it was too late to change lanes. I was committed with all my items on the belt. How come I did not notice the couple on line in front of me? Guess I am in another world just like the rest of the daytime shoppers. As I turned to wait for their items to be scanned. I could not believe my eyes! Every item in the cart, I mean every item was in a plastic bag. The box of penne, in a bag, a bag intended for produce only. These clear handleless bags are only available in the produce aisle. see pic next The can of tomato sauce in a bag. The soap in a bag, You get the idea. These are the plastic bags used for produce and only available in the fruit and veggie aisles. So all of their items were in plastic bags, They each had their own cart, because it seemed from the positioning of the items that none were allowed to rest on top of others, so what easily could have fit in one cart had to go into two. Now with each item in a bag the bar code had to be exposed for scanning. This was done by the man handing each item to the checker. This procedure added an inordinate amount of time to the scanning process. I thought where are the plastic bag police? I know this is an illness, I am sorry for them but there was so much plastic on the belt that a landfill could have been stocked just by their plastic bags. It got worse. As each item was scanned the woman would then put the plastic bagged item in 3 plastic carrying bags Three. So now we have another step. The box of pasta is now in its own bag and then packed with other items in 3 more plastic bags see next illustration, bags on right go into 3 regular bags with handles.
I watch as another line opens up and all those behind me run to it. Surely though this will end soon. Not soon enough. Almost all those who had been behind me are now through. With the handing of each plastic covered item bar code up to the cashier, then him handing it to the woman (cashier not allowed to pack) the time adds up. And they pay for each cart separately with plastic, no cash of course. There is nothing I can do. I am one of the day people, expect the unexpected.
They are gone. Pushing carts piled high with plastic bags, enough to choke several rivers.
I go through quickly. Retirement chore girl that I am; I have the packing, the loading, the paying, down to an efficient procedure. Actually I admit I enjoy this part. I challenge myself to see if I can get my job of packing done before the cashier announces the bill. I usually get it done.

I leave King Kullen. And I know that the plastic folks will be in the lot. If packing and shopping are so ritualized then something must be happening at the car. Sure enough. They have only made it to the car. Must be some OCD stuff on the way.

Then I see the next phase. I am not gawking. I can watch as I load up Sawyer. They have large black hefty lawn and leaf bags, They are lining the trunk of their car with these bags, so that all the thrice bagged packages holding the individually bagged items will not touch the inside of the car, Then on top of the items, (yes, I waited) they place three more black plastic lawn and leaf bags.
Then the final step. I am now in Sawyer peering out the driver's window, as I am done. The woman goes to the driver's side and waves her arms up and down three times. Then another set and another. The man waits. Then she enters the driver's side. He enters the passenger side. I look away. When I look back they are gone. Whew.

This was a long shopping trip.

It gave me a story; it also poses some questions. Obviously this pair has deep problems. Should King Kullen permit them to pack and use so many bags? KK is strongly urging all their customers to stop using plastic. And here we have such flagrant overuse. But this is an illness. Are they known here? Do they travel around doing this? Maybe they use the same bags each trip. Maybe they do recycle them in the huge cylinders provided at the entrance. But it is not only about the plastic.

One Tuesday afternoon.

Liam crosses his legs the same way every time. Right over left. No matter what. He will only go down the stairs on my right. He eats exactly 3 pellets of food before he will eat the full bowl.
And he knows that when I get a few plastic bags we are going out for a walk.
When I take out the 2 bags he heads for the door. Always 2 bags.
Doggie OCD?
Yes, I have a few plastic bags Only for Liam and his produce.

all pix taken Tuesday afternoon after food shopping, August 31, last day of August 2010-
no OCD encounters this Tuesday


If you could just come with me and see the beauty of Tuesday afternoon Tuesday afternoon

Woof, Woof