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Cell phones & grocery shopping just don't mix
One day I stopped to get a simple gallon of milk at the local grocery store the other day, and I saw a sight which has transformed my life forever. Just as I was walking past the deli section, I witnessed a cell phone set off a chain of wild events, that would baffle just about anyone's mind. I saw her coming full blast out of the corner of my right eye. She barreled on in from out of nowhere from around a blind corner. This lady was rolling her grocery cart down the soda isle and talking on her cell phone without a care in the world, and not paying anymore attention to what was going on around her than the man on the moon.
She was in another complete world at this time, and totally preoccupied on her cell phone when she entered the isle way that I was in. She blew past me like I was standing still, knocking the milk right out of my hand and into the potato chip bin. It all happened from that point forward in slow motion. I saw what was getting ready to happen next, but there was no time for me to yell out a warning to others.
This little old lady was stooping down to select her favorite brand of cat food when all of a sudden there was this big collision. The poor old lady landed on top of a bag of Kibbles 'n bits. At that point the old lady's grocery cart shot across the produce isle slamming into a display of peanut butter knocking it all into the candy isle and fresh fruit section. There were apples mixed in with the bananas and the oranges, and there were seedless grapes all over the hazel nuts. Can goods were scattered about as far away as Tony Romo could throw a football. Not to mention peanut butter all over the dark chocolate and chocolate in the peanut butter. However I'm not so sure who would eat something like that.
She basically left a massive trail of destruction as far as the human eye could see. No one was hurt in all of this commotion , but it certainly was one big mess. And the entire time the woman never stopped talking on her cell phone, or even looked back to see all the damage that she had caused. A matter of fact she went through the checkout line and left the store completely, still talking on her phone, totally unaware of the fiasco that was going on behind her. Maybe there needs to be some kind of a law to be passed to stop people from walking and talking on their cell phones, especially while grocery shopping. That might sound like crazy talk, but next time it may just save another old lady from being knocked into a bag of dog food
While on the subject of cell phones let me tell you about another story. A friend of mine or maybe it would be best to refer to him as an acquaintance got a free cell phone the other day. It was a top of the line model with 4G and all of the bells and whistles. Very expensive to say the least, and it didn't cost him a cent. You see he lives in a houseboat, and orders things through the mail. He has the items sent directly to his house boat. He saw an unbelievable cell phone offer on television, so he took advantage of it. When I say he took advantage of it, I mean that's exactly what he did. After he received the cell phone in the mail at his house boat, he picked up anchor and moved his boat to another location. According to him, he's now the proud owner of the newest cell phone model on the market. However if I was you I wouldn't try this at home.
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Thanks Deborah for waking up this hub, which hasn't seen a single comment in over 4 years. :)
Great post. I tend to ignore my phone while grocery shopping, since I'm focused on getting the items off my list. I do use my phone, but for the calculator feature. I've seen people on their phones who almost run people over for lacking of paying attention, and quite honestly, I don't want to be one them. Thanks for sharing.
Quite a story! Unfortunately, the people who really need to read this probably won't, because they don't think it would apply to them. Good read - good hub!
Quite a story! Unfortunately, the people who really need to read this probably won't, because they don't think it would apply to them. Good read - good hub!
That is so good and funny. I voted up.
You're hilarious. And you're right!
What a riot (to read, maybe not to experience). People are nuts! I loved your humor, and the chocolate in the peanut butter!! Too funny. Thanks for making me laugh.
Thank you for sharing this. This is so very true and funny. It reminds me of a shopping trip I endured not long ago.
Hang up and shop!
By reading this article, we just hope that this would be a great lesson to all. Good hub!
This is why I generally don't like multitasking, and that includes doing something while talking on the cellphone. Being distracted can sometimes be dangerous!
Sooooooooooo very funny, just the fact the woman was oblivious to it all. Great hub. Faith Reaper
You're quickly becoming one of my favorite hubbers! It seems catastrophes follow you like a dark rain cloud laughing hysterically!
I've seen so many people walking and talking on their cell phones and totally not paying attention to where they are going. I cringe when I see it happen in a parking lot. Common sense and common curteousy seem to be going out of style. Great hub though!! Fantastically written.
I enjoy my cell phone but there is a time and place for everything . Nice Hub .
I enjoyed reading about this, but still can't believe this happened exactly as you told it. Are you sure you didn't embellish this just a bit? I normally keep my cell phone in my purse when I'm in the car or shopping -- unless I have to call and ask my husband about a product. And then I'm not pushing the cart while talking. I'm bending toward the shelf, waiting to get hit by someone else. Voted up.
Boggles the mind how oblivious some people are. Great Hub. It feels at times that technology is removing the human in us all.
Yet another example of the inconsiderate nature of our fellow man. As previously state it's not the advent of the cell phone, but the obnoxious rude and inconsiderate behavior of the owner. You would think 99% of the population were captains of industry, doctors or lawyers who must flee at a moments call. The majority are doing a whole lot of meaningless blathering about nothing. Voted up, marked interesting.
I once saw a lady Christmas shopping, laden down with bags, trying and failing to reach the phone which was ringing in her coat pocket. She finally gave up, dropped the bags and completed the maneuver. "Yes", she shouted into the phone angrily, "Why are you ringing me? I'm shopping." LOL
I've tried to talk on the phone while pushing a shopping cart before, and it just doesn't work. It's extremely difficult to do. It probably doesn't help that I have zero coordination, though.
It's actually against army regulation to talk on the phone, text, or smoke while you're walking. Not for the same reasons, though.
Yes, her behavior is hard to believe. You've written about the incident in an entertaining way though. No disaster here but one day in the vehicle license place the clerk asked a mom why her teenage son couldn't speak for himself. The mom replied "Oh, he's to busy texting." And he was!
Oh my. Very well told story. I'm glad that everyone was okay but am still disgusted with the cell phone user's behavior. It's awful how some people are so self involved.
Your use of humor is great in getting the point across. Cell phone usage in public should be limited to calls made only as necessary; and, only when you can sit or stand still, move out of harms way, and remain focused. Great coverage on a subject that we've all been on the "receiving end" at one time or another!
I can't believe she did not even care what was going on around her, or even about the old lady. I'm surprised they let her leave the store.
Thank you, well written and highly entertaining although it highlights the dangers we all face out there everyday. Imagine if this woman left the store and got into her car - Help!
This is not the first fiasco I have heard regarding cell phones. Perhaps they should come with a warning" Cell phones can be hazardous to your/or some else's life".
Ever sit in the park or a playground and observe the adults ? Who's watching or paying attention to the children?..Good Hub..
People have no respect for others anymore, lack class in general. Good hub
This doesn't surprise me at all. Having worked in food retail for over ten years and have just about seen all sorts of mishaps. I've even been the victim of someone's inattention while shopping. It's not the fault of the mobile, the blame lies squarely with the inconsiderate person holding it.
I don't understand what happens to people when they walk through the doors of a shop. I've checked the entrance over and over again but I still don't see a sign that says 'Leave Brain Here.' There is one about not abusing the staff, though.
Good hub, voted up, funny and socially shared.
Cellphone and some other tasks really don't mix and despite the accidents people still do not learn. Take for example texting and driving, we all know that anything can happen in just a split second if you take off your eyes on the road, still we see a lot of people texting or talking on the phone. We should really have more care because these kinds of accidents don't just affect us but other people, too...like in your case and the old lady. Nice hub, voted up and shared.
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