Women in Supermarkets(not really a rant)

[amicus]

Ain't women jus wunnerful in all ways?

I just love 'em to death.

Been shopping for myself for a good many years now, so it's not a new thing, but still, today, at the local Safeway, it happened again.

An older woman with her husband in tow pushing the cart completely blocked the aisle, so I waited, quietly, as there were folks behind me also waiting. After a moment or so the gentleman looked up, nudged his wife and moved the cart out of the way. The woman looked up and promptly moved to block the opening, her fat ass hanging out as she bent over a shelf...she stayed that way. The man showed palms up, shrugged and turned away, the rest of us turned and went back up the aisle.

It used to irritate me and I would mutter and grind my teeth while I waited, or turned back. But slowly I began to think about it. You know, they could be doing it on purpose, just not caring whether their actions impeded others or not. Some of the young pretty ones would blush when they saw they were blocking others, apologize and move aside, the older ones never do.

So, I thought, maybe they are not aware of their actions? Maybe they really don't see others around them? And you know, I think that may be the answer.

Women 'appear' to be totally oblivious to their surroundings when shopping, it may be a genetic trait. Not only that, but they often meet friends or neighbors going opposite ways in the aisles and they jabber like mad, again, totally oblivious.

I think it is a built in feminine thing, a hold over from bouncing babies and keeping an ear open for child cries, passive or needing attention, that focuses their minds elsewhere.

For surely they couldn't be just that stupid, now could they?

I know, the old misogynist flames again, but consider, recall your experiences, am I really just making this up or does it really happen, over and over and over again?

Gentlemen...?

amicus...

 

[amicus]

My Goodness, 22 visits and nary a comment?

Guess the ladies are too embarassed and the gents to chickenshit to confirm.

grins...s'okay...nevermind...


amicus...

 

[Boxlicker101]

Ain't women jus wunnerful in all ways?

I just love 'em to death.

Been shopping for myself for a good many years now, so it's not a new thing, but still, today, at the local Safeway, it happened again.

An older woman with her husband in tow pushing the cart completely blocked the aisle, so I waited, quietly, as there were folks behind me also waiting. After a moment or so the gentleman looked up, nudged his wife and moved the cart out of the way. The woman looked up and promptly moved to block the opening, her fat ass hanging out as she bent over a shelf...she stayed that way. The man showed palms up, shrugged and turned away, the rest of us turned and went back up the aisle.

It used to irritate me and I would mutter and grind my teeth while I waited, or turned back. But slowly I began to think about it. You know, they could be doing it on purpose, just not caring whether their actions impeded others or not. Some of the young pretty ones would blush when they saw they were blocking others, apologize and move aside, the older ones never do.

So, I thought, maybe they are not aware of their actions? Maybe they really don't see others around them? And you know, I think that may be the answer.

Women 'appear' to be totally oblivious to their surroundings when shopping, it may be a genetic trait. Not only that, but they often meet friends or neighbors going opposite ways in the aisles and they jabber like mad, again, totally oblivious.

I think it is a built in feminine thing, a hold over from bouncing babies and keeping an ear open for child cries, passive or needing attention, that focuses their minds elsewhere.

For surely they couldn't be just that stupid, now could they?

I know, the old misogynist flames again, but consider, recall your experiences, am I really just making this up or does it really happen, over and over and over again?

Gentlemen...?

amicus...

I have been pushing shopping carts in stores, including Safeway, for over 45 years. Usually, people park carts next to the shelves and there is room to pass by. If there isn't, for whatever reason, I usually announce my need to pass, saying "beep beep" or "excuse me" or something of that sort. If that doesn't do it, I move my cart forward and lightly bump the offending cart. That's always enough, and the person with the cart moves out of the way. If the cart is unattended, I move it myself. In this case, you mentioned, the man did move the cart when he realized it was blocking the aisle.

Sometimes I see two persons, usually woman, chatting and blocking the aisle. When I announce my need to go by, they excuse themselves for blocking me and make room. I don't believe I have ever seen anybody, man or woman, deliberately block an aisle in a store.

 

[past_perfect]

For once, we are almost in complete agreement. The closest and therefore most convenient supermarket for me has rather narrow aisles, so I have those scenarios on a daily basis.
I don't think it's rudeness or anything, the female customers just seemed to be so completely engrossed in the shopping experience, that all else ceases to exist - as opposed to my personal impulses to get in and out of that store as quickly as possible and not impede anyone else when I have to linger anywhere to make up my mind.

 

[amicus]

Good to see you again, Past...and yes, I agree, you and most men I think, as do I, go to the market to shop and get it done and be gone. I suspect it is more of a social event for the ladies.

There is another aspect though and more complicated, perhaps it is just me, but I suspect a common characteristic of men....that I am always aware of who is around me in all directions at all times. Thus I immediately sense when someone in an aisle needs space and give it instantly. The ladies on the other hand seem not to be aware of those around them...dunno...just observations...no great big thing...


amicus...

 

[past_perfect]

Good to see you again, Past...and yes, I agree, you and most men I think, as do I, go to the market to shop and get it done and be gone. I suspect it is more of a social event for the ladies.

There is another aspect though and more complicated, perhaps it is just me, but I suspect a common characteristic of men....that I am always aware of who is around me in all directions at all times. Thus I immediately sense when someone in an aisle needs space and give it instantly. The ladies on the other hand seem not to be aware of those around them...dunno...just observations...no great big thing...


amicus...

Yeah, and an additional difference might be, that as soon as men have to steer something with wheels, we subconsciously drift into a traffic mindset, including proper parking and all...

 

[rachlou]

I'm a woman, and i can't honestly ever recall becoming that engrossed in tins of baked beans that I have blocked the aisle without realising? I go to do my food shopping with a singlemindedness born of too little time. I hate having to waste my valuable minutes trundling around supermarkets when there are always more interesting/useful things to do. Shopping is a necessity, not a pleasure. I don;t see it as a social experience (unless yelling at the kids as they try to sneak packets of chocolate bars into the trolley counts). I always push my trolley to one side, grab a special offer/whatever, and move on quickly. The people who tend to get in the way are generally the old folk who are slow at manouvering their lumbering beast of a recalcitrant trolley. Or the young couples in love making cow eyes at each other over the Haagen Daaz icecream selection. I don;t think gender has a lot to do with it?

Maybe this is because I shop in the UK.... And no we women are not that stupid.

 

[amicus]

Yes, Rachlou, I know you and you are just as you say you are, with a few added things...when your little munchkin wanders over and smiles at me, I look up to see where it belongs and usually get a smile in return. And if you have a wee one in the cart seat, I will make google eyes at it or stick out my tongue as wee ones always look into your eyes to see who you are...I usually get a smile there also.

And yes, it does seem to be largely the older females, although there is another class are LARGE females that seem belligerent as they trundle down the aisles taking up more space than the cart.

And it doesn't happen every time at the market but it did today and reminded me of other times and as a Creative Writing instructor instructed me, many years ago, 'Grist for the Mill' young man, write what you see around you.

and so I did...sue me...


amicus...

 

[TheEarl]

I find it's just people, rather than women. People in supermarkets drive me spare. They wander around, stopping suddenly as they see something, so you have to put on a full emergency stop to avoid hitting them. They suddenly step out in front of you, without a care in the world, or leave their trolley in the middle of the aisle and go off to peruse another shelf.

Best of all, they decide to challenge conventional physics, by attempting to see if their trolleys and your ankles can inhabit the same space at the same time. I love that one.

It has not been completely unknown for me to formulate a spell whilst in a packed supermarket that messes with people's peripheral vision so that, for whatever reason they'd like to make up, they choose to avoid the space around me. It gives quite an interesting effect from an outside perspective, as there's a little corona of space around me for as long as I can keep concentration.

I don't like crowds.

The Earl

 

[amicus]

Chuckles...I understand...but I maintain they are mostly female as mostly females inhabit the aisles everytime I venture into that vast cornucopia of capitalism...


ahem...


amicus...

 

[rachlou]

Yes, Rachlou, I know you and you are just as you say you are, with a few added things...when your little munchkin wanders over and smiles at me, I look up to see where it belongs and usually get a smile in return. And if you have a wee one in the cart seat, I will make google eyes at it or stick out my tongue as wee ones always look into your eyes to see who you are...I usually get a smile there also.

And yes, it does seem to be largely the older females, although there is another class are LARGE females that seem belligerent as they trundle down the aisles taking up more space than the cart.

And it doesn't happen every time at the market but it did today and reminded me of other times and as a Creative Writing instructor instructed me, many years ago, 'Grist for the Mill' young man, write what you see around you.

and so I did...sue me...


amicus...

I got to go food shopping later - i'll look out for you !!

 

[McKenna]

Amicus, it's just you. They've singled you out of the vast hordes of humans in existence to pester wtih shopping aisle woes. There, now don't you feel special?


/tongue in cheek

I find it's just people, rather than women. People in supermarkets drive me spare. They wander around, stopping suddenly as they see something, so you have to put on a full emergency stop to avoid hitting them. They suddenly step out in front of you, without a care in the world, or leave their trolley in the middle of the aisle and go off to peruse another shelf.

Good thing we all don't drive like we shop, eh?

Oh wait...

 

[amicus]

Ah, McKenna, nice that you are speaking to me again...

you know...I thought that, not the tongue and cheek variety, but I do rather stand out in a crowd and people look and sometimes avoid me...I have that, 'walk into a room and everybody looks' thing, dunno why, it just has always been that way...

but...thanks anyway and good to see you again...


ami

 

[McKenna]

Ah, McKenna, nice that you are speaking to me again...

you know...I thought that, not the tongue and cheek variety, but I do rather stand out in a crowd and people look and sometimes avoid me...I have that, 'walk into a room and everybody looks' thing, dunno why, it just has always been that way...

but...thanks anyway and good to see you again...


ami

I never stopped speaking to you. It's just that you don't often say things that interest me, or to which I feel a need to respond.




(Couldn't let you get too big a head now, could I?!)

 

[Liar]

Liar to the world:

Shopping is not entertinment. Repeat after me : "Shopping. Is. Not. Entertainment." If you're not in the mid process of purchasing, then get the fuck out of my way and let me speed by on my "fastest and shortest possible to get what I need"-route through the mall.

 

[lil_elvis]

Guys do the same thing at the Home Depot. Everything's relative.

 

[gauchecritic]

Two words: Fire safety.
If the aisles aren't large enough to let two people pass with room then (over here at least) they are breaking safety regulations. (disabled access and all that).

You're yanqui MiAmico, sue the fuck out of 'em.

Better yet sue the large woman for distress and personal discomfiture. and all those people that look at you when you enter a room, sue them too for harrassment. (but beware of cross suit in the latter case when they discover that you were a radio presenter.)

 

[Alessia Brio]

Guys do the same thing at the Home Depot. Everything's relative.

*snicker* Good point.



Ami! A social event? Yes, picking up toilet tissue and Cheerios is such fun.

 

[McKenna]

*snicker* Good point.



Ami! A social event? Yes, picking up toilet tissue and Cheerios is such fun.

Let's not forget the tampons, pads and midol.

 

[Explaura]

I hate shopping. And grocery shopping has its on list of things I hate. I can never find what I want. I have to go up and down all the aisles a million times to find what I want. I always feel like I spend too much. And being a non-driver, I have to walk to the store and carry my groceries home. Which isn't so bad.. but grocery bags were not meant to be carried that far. (Of course if I remember I bring a backpack and hope I don't want more food than fits in it.) And I can't steer one of those carts worth crap. I always end up wedged against things or having to lift the cart around corners. It sucks ass. But I don't use carts anyway because I have found that if I can't carry it around the store I won't be able to carry it home.

so yeah.. I try not to do it often. And I have no general recollection of the other people there.

 

[Guest]

Everything's relative. I wonder in which place amicus feels most at home to block the aisle.

Food shopping is a necessity, of course, and 9 times out of ten NOT enjoyable. And it's much worse if you have several children to keep track of while attempting to fill a cart with healthy yet not overly expensive food.

At any rate, I posted this awhile back about one of my shopping experiences. I think it's fairly typical for busy women.


https://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=334307


Did I just see you at the store?

Were you there? Was that you?

If it was you, and you did see me, you witnessed me at my near possible worst.

You saw a harried woman, unbrushed hair pulled up high in a huge clip and tousled bangs all over her face. No makeup.

This woman was wearing one of her husband's denim shirts. The shirt fell halfway to her knees (which is probably a good thing because it almost completely covered the used-to-be-white shorts she was wearing).

Those used-to-be-white shorts were covered with a cacophony of stains: grass from gardening, pink nail polish from assisting with daughter's manicure, a big splotch of spaghetti sauce from last night's dinner exploding and a miniscule drop of ink from the Lexmark printer. We're working on the Science Fair project.

So, were you there?

Were you one of the gentlemen who graciously stepped aside as I tore around the aisles in a shopping frenzy?

Were you the check-out gal (ex-student) who managed to recognize me despite my dishevelment?

Perhaps you were the kind man in the parking lot who came to my assistance after I managed to slam my heel in the back part of the shopping cart. He helped me unload my packages and didn't even bat an eye when he noticed my legs and feet. The dichotomy of grass stains on my knees against flirty sandals and a whore-of-babylon-red pedicure must have boggled his mind.

But he was still most polite.


And now I'm home. Safe. Hiding.


So - was it you?


Did you see me?


God, I hope not.

 

[cloudy]

Ami! A social event? Yes, picking up toilet tissue and Cheerios is such fun.

I hate grocery shopping. My goal is to get in there, get exactly what I have on my list (no more, no less), and get out as quickly as possible.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

Chuckles...I understand...but I maintain they are mostly female as mostly females inhabit the aisles everytime I venture into that vast cornucopia of capitalism...


ahem...


amicus...

I cordially invite you to come shopping with me at the local Wal-mart on a Friday night. It's like old dude reunion up there.

Seriously, though, I can identify with your original post. Just yesterday, some lady and her overflowing shopping cart were blocking the whole dairy aisle. She's very lucky I wasn't in a hurry or she might've been hit with a 20 lb. turkey. Bitch, don't keep me from the Yoplait.

 

[FallingToFly]

Ain't women jus wunnerful in all ways?

I just love 'em to death.

Been shopping for myself for a good many years now, so it's not a new thing, but still, today, at the local Safeway, it happened again.

An older woman with her husband in tow pushing the cart completely blocked the aisle, so I waited, quietly, as there were folks behind me also waiting. After a moment or so the gentleman looked up, nudged his wife and moved the cart out of the way. The woman looked up and promptly moved to block the opening, her fat ass hanging out as she bent over a shelf...she stayed that way. The man showed palms up, shrugged and turned away, the rest of us turned and went back up the aisle.

It used to irritate me and I would mutter and grind my teeth while I waited, or turned back. But slowly I began to think about it. You know, they could be doing it on purpose, just not caring whether their actions impeded others or not. Some of the young pretty ones would blush when they saw they were blocking others, apologize and move aside, the older ones never do.

So, I thought, maybe they are not aware of their actions? Maybe they really don't see others around them? And you know, I think that may be the answer.

Women 'appear' to be totally oblivious to their surroundings when shopping, it may be a genetic trait. Not only that, but they often meet friends or neighbors going opposite ways in the aisles and they jabber like mad, again, totally oblivious.

I think it is a built in feminine thing, a hold over from bouncing babies and keeping an ear open for child cries, passive or needing attention, that focuses their minds elsewhere.

For surely they couldn't be just that stupid, now could they?

I know, the old misogynist flames again, but consider, recall your experiences, am I really just making this up or does it really happen, over and over and over again?

Gentlemen...?

amicus...

No, Amicus.

That woman was just being a bitch.

 

[R. Richard]

I don't believe that it is a gender thing, but one tyhing that drives me up a wall is someone who is studying the gourmet spaghetti-Os selection will wait and wait until the cart coming the other way passes and then gourmet boy/girl suddenly doesn't need any more study of the gourmet spaghetti-Os.

I don't give a damn what you people think, we need to expand the death penalty.