Dear Mr. Rawles,
I read your site daily and am very appreciative of your work and that it is from a Christian perspective. Thank you so much.
I wanted to relay a personal operational security (OPSEC) failure that happened last week that your readers may learn from.
My Husband is gone on an extended business trip and before hand I had convinced him to allow me to “prep” for his being gone. We have several young children and I didn’t want to have to go shopping regularly. While my Husband is not a prepper, he is slowly listening to me and allowed me to take a dry run for his business trip.
However, due to extending hospitality and several illnesses I had to run out to restock. The way I did it was a big mistake. I drew attention to myself and I had honestly never thought about that before. First, I filled my cart to overflowing. My thought process was I have several young children who I could tell were about to get sick, I was starting to come down with something and my Husband is away for a few more days. I figured get it all and get it home and then at least I don’t have to run out with sick kids in a few days. While this is a good way to manage my time and errands, something very uncomfortable happened.
People were staring at me. This was at a big box store, it should have been common place there…but it wasn’t. I haven’t left the house much in the last several months, but people’s carts were very empty. As I was going to the check out line a woman who worked at the store gave me a dirty look and loudly demanded to know “Where do you work that you can fill your cart up like that? I want your job” Several people shook their heads in agreement. I started to realize the situation and just wanted to get out of there.
In the line, people started asking me why I was buying so much (I honestly wasn’t…we are talking mostly one of each item and not more than one cart full..that is why this was so freaky). I told them I don’t get out much with young children.
I had planned to pay cash because we are teaching our children about using cash when we realized they kept playing grocery store using a “card” (I use a debit card). I had brought enough cash with me and it was a significant amount. I told the cashier I wanted to pay cash, and she gave me a double take. The people around me already staring started watching in earnest now. I realized I needed to get out of there and needed to not look like I had cash on me. I acted like I forgot the money then asked her to run my card like a credit card. I then got the heck out of there.
The cashier then made a big deal about how I needed someone to help me to my car. I had just one cart! She insisted that I had purchased so much I needed help. Then the manager insisted I accept help. I honestly didn’t know what the heck was going on. I wasn’t taking a sofa out. I just had a cart of some things. It was embarrassing, but it was also getting a bit scary. It brought everyone around me to watch me leave.
This was very, very strange. I by no means live in a low income area, in fact, quite the opposite. But I noticed people watching me, watching what I bought and what I paid for it. I have never had that happen.
I have decided that I will purchase more things either by themselves or online. I am trying to cultivate sources for things that are local and can be paid for cash, but this is very hard. However, I will not fill my cart again at one of these stores. It seems the economy has caused people to become very curious when someone is buying things..and possibly jealous.
I hope this might help another reader. I actually got a bit scared from all the attention and have never experienced that in my life. I am by no means rich, but I will be sure to look a a lot poorer next time I go out.
Thank you, – Mrs. R.