~~Shopping - The Real Pain of Life~~

Shopping is a real pain. Never thought I would say that. But it really is. At least on the first time it is. My dad was at the office working late because it was the day of his report submission. My mom had the so-called most important client meeting in her career. Not sure that I believe her though because she said that for pretty much every meeting she had this week. And no meeting should be important enough to make your son suffer. Like come on! Now you may thing I am exaggerating. So just read on and see the horrors of shopping all displayed perfectly to you.

So, the gods decided that on the day my mom and dad were both super busy, we ran out of all food. The week had been very hectic for my parents and they didn’t get a chance to go get some groceries. So, obviously they put me up to the task. I asked whether it was possible if they could just order the food from outside or use some groceries delivery app. But they were stubborn as if our lives depended on it! I had to get it. I had to get it today. I had to get it alone. Something about me being old enough to learn how to shop. My mom handed me a list of things to get, some money and sent me off.

I walked to the nearest supermarket and let me tell you anyone watching me go there, would have thought as if I was about to be killed and I knew it. I hated shopping when I go with my mom. Alone, it will be 10 times worse! But, no choice.

So, I entered the shop and checked the list. I instantly knew I made a big, big mistake. I should not have at any cost left the house without checking the list. I did not even know about half the things in the list! Like what is Zucchini (I don’t even know how to pronounce that) and Rocket Leaves. Why are some leaves even named “Rocket Leaves”? That’s just… I don’t know, crazy? What they grow so fast that its like a rocket flying? Anyway the list went something like this.

Do NOT waste money on junk food

Rocket Leaves

Zucchini

Lemons

Potatoes

Tomatoes

Onions

Ginger

Some Tamarind chews

Cinnamon

Cheese

I repeat do NOT waste money on junk food

So naturally, I wasted some money on junk food. What do you expect? Everyone knows the first thing about children and especially teenagers is they will do the thing you ask them not to specifically. My mom before letting me go told me a few things to check before getting certain vegetables. Something like “the lemons’ outer skin should be hard” or was that tomatoes? “The Ginger should be rock hard” or wait, was that for Onions? See! See what I am talking about? Not been 10 minutes since I left my house and I am already confused. I had enough. I just asked the shopkeeper to give me the items.

Now here comes another hurdle. Is it ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks? Is it sweet tamarind chews or sour ones? Grated cheese, Sliced cheese or block cheese? And if the cheese problem was not enough the man asks me whether I want Mozzarella, Cheddar, Blue or Gouda? How am I supposed to know? Also, I was suspecting this man was trying to cheat me. Since when did cheese become blue? It was always and always yellowish orange. But what choice did I have. Being exhausted from all these choices I went ahead and told him to put any type grated, sliced, chunks, blue or whatever. For all I knew, I didn’t care whether the cheese was puree. I purchase the things and quickly get out of the shop before the man asked me “cash, card or digital payment” and I broke down there from all the million choices in life. I rushed home, kept the shopping on the kitchen shelf and vowed that I am never going to shop ever again, be it that means I will have to order stuff online or ask someone else to get it, never again was I going to shop for groceries.