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> “minor mischief like sneaking embarrassing items into a line-cutter’s grocery cart” I found this bit most fascinating. How does this work logistically? Does

> “minor mischief like sneaking embarrassing items into a line-cutter’s grocery cart” I found this bit most fascinating. How does this work logistically? Does one stock own cart with embarrassing items, “just in case”, and then dump them before checking out? I’m assuming that the mischief is then sought out, and less of a reaction to being wronged? With that said, taking the whole thing with a grain of salt.

Ericson2314 6y ago
I'm guessing, maybe the seediest tabloid near the checkout counter?
wahern 6y ago
When my aunt died of cancer[1] at age 55 after fighting it for 20+ years I flew into Chicagoland for the funeral and stayed at her house. The guest bedroom closet was packed with Disney trinkets; just stuffed from floor to ceiling. And that was in addition to the trinkets elsewhere or which she gave away. Everybody in the family knew she loved taking her grandchildren to Disney World at least once or twice year. Over the years we had several family reunions there. What few of us ever knew was that she would steal trinkets from the gift shops every chance she could. As she lived with both type 1 diabetes and cancer, she always carried around one or two huge bags with food and medicine which she would stuff with her loot. According to my uncle (her brother) she did it as a way of taking control over her somewhat hard-luck life, which also included getting pregnant at 16 and other hardships. I don't know the extent to which he knew beforehand, or if he had ever spoken with her about it. I think it's mostly a guess of his based on the fact that, apparently, such mischievous habits are a not uncommon stress response behavior. But I have no reason to doubt that the items were indeed stolen; her husband and daughter confirmed it. [1] AFAIU, over the years she had multiple types of cancer, including breast cancer; not just a metastasis of one type. She was one of the longest survivors of the form that killed her. (Don't know the name.) She kept miraculously responding to various experimental treatments for years until she didn't; and then they stopped admitting her to new programs. I still vividly remember once getting a frantic call in the middle of the night after she was refused entry into an experimental program. She was desperate to find and pull on any string, and she begged me to query any friends who were doctors, scientists, w'ever. The diabetes was both a curse and blessing as it caused her to become exceptionally skillful and consistent at controlling her diet and lifestyle, which presumably helped her respond well to the various cancer treatments. She was also tenacious. She never stopped fighting for a single second. No courageously poetic acquiescence for her. Her last night she tried to stay awake for as long as she could, knowing she'd never wake up.
neutronicus 6y ago
I guess if it's a man you might have tampons on hand, or some slightly more embarrassing feminine necessity. But I can't really imagine caring on the other side of that.
grp000 6y ago
I remember from my childhood a lot of supermarkets had cheap stuff at the checkout for people waiting in line. Gossip mags, candy bars, gimmicky stuff. She could be referring to that, something along the lines of putting a vapid mag in someone's cart that doesn't look the type to be into that kind of thing.

Ericson2314 6y ago

I'm guessing, maybe the seediest tabloid near the checkout counter?

wahern 6y ago

When my aunt died of cancer[1] at age 55 after fighting it for 20+ years I flew into Chicagoland for the funeral and stayed at her house. The guest bedroom closet was packed with Disney trinkets; just stuffed from floor to ceiling. And that was in addition to the trinkets elsewhere or which she gave away. Everybody in the family knew she loved taking her grandchildren to Disney World at least once or twice year. Over the years we had several family reunions there. What few of us ever knew was that she would steal trinkets from the gift shops every chance she could. As she lived with both type 1 diabetes and cancer, she always carried around one or two huge bags with food and medicine which she would stuff with her loot. According to my uncle (her brother) she did it as a way of taking control over her somewhat hard-luck life, which also included getting pregnant at 16 and other hardships. I don't know the extent to which he knew beforehand, or if he had ever spoken with her about it. I think it's mostly a guess of his based on the fact that, apparently, such mischievous habits are a not uncommon stress response behavior. But I have no reason to doubt that the items were indeed stolen; her husband and daughter confirmed it. [1] AFAIU, over the years she had multiple types of cancer, including breast cancer; not just a metastasis of one type. She was one of the longest survivors of the form that killed her. (Don't know the name.) She kept miraculously responding to various experimental treatments for years until she didn't; and then they stopped admitting her to new programs. I still vividly remember once getting a frantic call in the middle of the night after she was refused entry into an experimental program. She was desperate to find and pull on any string, and she begged me to query any friends who were doctors, scientists, w'ever. The diabetes was both a curse and blessing as it caused her to become exceptionally skillful and consistent at controlling her diet and lifestyle, which presumably helped her respond well to the various cancer treatments. She was also tenacious. She never stopped fighting for a single second. No courageously poetic acquiescence for her. Her last night she tried to stay awake for as long as she could, knowing she'd never wake up.

neutronicus 6y ago

I guess if it's a man you might have tampons on hand, or some slightly more embarrassing feminine necessity. But I can't really imagine caring on the other side of that.

grp000 6y ago

I remember from my childhood a lot of supermarkets had cheap stuff at the checkout for people waiting in line. Gossip mags, candy bars, gimmicky stuff. She could be referring to that, something along the lines of putting a vapid mag in someone's cart that doesn't look the type to be into that kind of thing.