Monday, July 13, 2009

Big Girls Don't Cry

I've always been a crier. I cry when I'm happy. I cry when I'm sad. I cry when I'm frustrated. I cry when I'm mad. It's just how I am, and it's kind of embarrassing. Once, when I had just moved from Washington to Iowa during my Sophomore year of high school, I had to write a paper about someone that I look up to. Well, I wrote it about my gymnastics coach. She was like a second mom to me when I was little. I spent so many hours in her care that I would call her mom by accident. I loved her. So I wrote this paper, in a class of people I didn't know, and was then asked to read it aloud. I cried. It probably doomed me from having friends at that school. Not only was I the "new kid" but I was the "new kid" who cries about stupid papers.
So you get the idea about how much I cry. Well, this story is about how proud I am that I did NOT cry.

Friday I went to Costco. Going to Costco is a big deal, because I only go once every 6-8 weeks and I have to drive an hour or more to get there. We don't have one any closer than that, and so I often have to pick up things for other people. This trip my sister asked me to get her a GPS and I was going to buy my husband an iPod. I did my detailed trip through the store. Sure not to miss any items. Just as I was finishing the last of my list the baby started fussing. Time to feed her again. Perfect timing, since we were nearly done.

Well, I got my groceries on the belt. All rung up, and I swiped my debit card. Declined. I swiped it again. Declined. I swiped it a third time; very quickly, in case the speed made a difference. DECLINED!! I was starting to freak out. I couldn't use credit, because you must have a PIN, and I don't know mine. I couldn't write a check, because I was using my moms floating card. So I look at the cashier and say "I don't know what to do; it's not taking it. I can't write a check, because it's a business card." Lillie is screaming at the top of her lungs. It is hotter than the devil's ass in the store. I am sweating. People behind me in line are tapping their feet. I feel like I want the Earth to swallow me whole.

"I just put my husband's paycheck in, so I don't understand" I say.

"Of course you do ma'am," she says (I know this must have been sarcastic). "Okay, we'll call the manager to void it. Can you get cash to pay for it?"

"Yes, I can get cash out" I say. "Where is the ATM?"

"All the way down at the end, by customer service. Push your cart over there while you get it."

So I pushed my cart over by the area where you pick up the expensive items after you pay. Then I hauled the kids out of the cart. My son is upset, of course, because he thinks we are leaving without his giant box of fruit snacks. So I have to convince him that we are coming back for them. We go down to the ATM, and I swipe my card. My son pushes the red button. I swipe my card again to start over. My son pushes the green button. I tell him not to touch the buttons. I swipe my card again, and he reaches for the buttons...I hiss "DON'T TOUCH THE STUPID BUTTONS OR YOU WON'T GET TO TAKE THE FRUIT SNACKS HOME!"

I take out $380 (the total of my purchase was $619) and it says I have reached my limit for the day. SAY WHAAAAT?! I feel the lump rising in my throat. I start saying to myself "stay calm dammit. You're not going to cry!"

So I go over to the customer service. They, so helpfully, tell me that I should just buy my own membership! That way I can write a check. Instead I decide to call my bank. Apparently, my card has a $605/day limit. Who knew?! I went to two other stores before Costco. She said she wouldn't take the limit off for me, so I had to take the GPS and iPod out of my purchase and buy the groceries. Of course, Lillie was REALLY mad by now. Inconsolable. I was just glad to be out of there with my groceries, and without shedding a tear.

Then I went to my friend's wedding on Saturday, and teared up when she walked in! You can't hold them in all the time!

5 comments:

OneZenMom said...

Oh sweetie! You poor thing. And those things are made eleventy-million times harder with a cranky kids. I think I might have just given up and walked away! Good for you for strapping on those big girl panties and dealing with it! :)

Anonymous said...

Wow... First let me say kidos to you. YOur a beautiful writter and you didn't shed a tear even though you wanted to. I have to ask, were you able to go back and get the ipod and GPS? Your sis didn't give you the amount for the GPS??

Unknown said...

Thank you for trying to get me a GPS while wrangling kids... you are the bestest for trying!

Grandma said...

I am glad I was able to step in and get the GPS at another Costco on the very same day... kind of like being in two places at once! Cell phones are great... no matter where you are or where she is, you can always call your Mom and vent... together we will solve these problems - we are not alone and Leah, bless her heart, will not be lost!

Pat said...

I cry during the credits to movies, during schmaltzy commercials, and espeically during the scene in Julie and Julia when Jullia's husband toasts her birthday and calls her his "darling girl." Trust me, it gets worse as you get older. But I kind of like it. Sometimes I put on Out Of Africa to clear my sinuses. Maybe it's Meryl Streep. . .Anyway, I came across your blog while looking for mine and loved the title. Hate pink, indeed!
www.i-cant-believe-im-bitter.com