I've never been a fussy 'OCD' type person.
I know things in the world are germ laden...I realize that people have probably had their grimy hands all over the produce I may just buy.
Generally I can ignore that fact. I make my selection and then go home where the fruit and vegetables receive a thorough cleaning and I continue on my merry way.
Yesterday may have changed all that for me.
You see, I was standing before a large and succulent selection of nectarines at the Granville Island Market, imagining my breakfast the next day.
The two I picked out were given to the clerk to weigh.
"$2.23." She said, the nectarines shining at me from the scale.
Handing over a five I waited a moment for the change.
Then it happened.
She backed slowly away from the counter and sneezed a big wet sneeze into her cupped hands.
Then, hands still glistening damply with-what-lord-I-don't-want-to-know, SHE PROCEEDED TO PICK UP MY LOVELY INNOCENT NECTARINES to give to me!!
I recoiled. I must have grimaced.
"I don't want those, you just sneezed all OVER your hands and then picked them up!"
Visibly annoyed she dropped them right.back.into.the.bin.
"Nevermind. Can you give me my money back? Nevermind! Just don't touch it!"
I reached over and grabbed my money before she could get her mucky paws on it and made my escape.
Made me stomach turn, it did.
How am I EVER going to eat produce again?
24 comments:
I was always amazed at the guys I work with overseas worried about the meat they eat. Hey, At least that stuff is cooked!! If cooked well, then the better. Salads, on the other hand, may have seen the same as you nectarines (which in th epic do look so good!)
Yuk!! And I can be negligent about washing fruit when I get it. Thanks for the reminder. Brings to mind that episode of Seinfeld with the proprietor of the Italian restaurant who doesn't wash his hands after using the loo.
Cheers, Ian
Just thinkhow many filthy hand touched everything. Not just doorknobs or lightswitches, everything. And you'd be surprised with what. That will fix you. ^_-
I watched someone wash her produce with soap and water once. At the time I thought it a bit extreme, but now I wonder...
Well good for you..That is just too nasty!
I tend to lose it when people put their hands all over everything. My first reaction is to look for something hot to throw at them.
Mmmmm... I can almost smell those delicious nectarines!
I've been fighting off OCD tendencies for years now... The thing that bugs me most-- when you have to touch the doorknob to exit a public restroom after washing your hands. It defeats the whole purpose!
But that's what paper towels are for :)
Yuck! I'm always amazed that all cash registers don't have towels and hand sanitizer for every clerk to wash up with now and again. Picking up dripping chicken, then yeah, the nectarines...let alone that disgusting sneezing!
There is a citrus-based wash for fruits and veggies. I haven't used it in some time, but I'm rethinking that now.
Vile! Absolutely vile!
It brought to mind a trip on the city bus, where a guy was trying to impress his girlfriend by licking one of the hold-on-in-rush-hour poles. I was gagging, it was so disgusting, on so many many levels:
(a) God only knows what sort of sweaty palms were holding onto the pole before they hopped on the bus
(b) Afterwards, someone would be holding onto the same pole covered with his saliva and
(c) If she was impressed by his antics, she'd probably kiss him, and get a hearty mouthful of whatever he'd picked up.
And you've probably heard on the news about that e. coli on the spinach outbreak in the States by now...goodness!
Come and see my pictures of vegetables and fruits on my latest post. I know you want some. :)
That is horrible!! I can't imagine!
I probably would have ended up buying those and then throwing them away...I'm so proud that you stood up for yourself. As disgusting as all that was - it could have been worse!
ugh
Just gross.
I had that happen to me in a Safeway once, and I just walked away. I notice now, however, that they have dispensers of disinfectants and they wash their hands between every transaction. But just think, money is really germ laden, and the clerks handle money and then handle the food. So it's a good idea to wash everything.
There is a huge outbreak of e-coli in the States right now from bagged spinach. People should wash all those so-called pre-washed salads as well.
Josie
You should have wiped your butt with your money and then handed her that.
ooh yuck. This is going to make me remember to wash my fruit before I eat it. I do try to but sometimes, I forget. ooh, I am still shuddering.
by the way - thanks for visiting my blog! funny how we all find each other through blogging - like the tangled web.
ugh..that is THE worst...omg..:(
I watched someone sneeze ON bean sprouts once too..... oh my. I can't think tto much about what's on the shopping basket/cart handles either..... ewwwwwww. I used to nearly fall apart when my boys would SUCK on the handles as we rolled around. Antibacterial mouthwash -- PRONTO!!!!! Its amazing they survived.
As a cashier at a drugstore I caught money transferred ailments -- everything from nail fungus to mono.... you know, while they were picking up their perscriptions! What a gross job.
The germophobia can be taken to extremes, though. In archaeology class today, the professor passed around some shards of pottery and stone tools for us to look at and the girl a few seats down from me broke out the Purel after touching every. single. piece. Entirely apart from the stuff's obnoxious smell, it seemed more than a little bit silly.
Sure, germs are gross, but we are surrounded by them every second of every day on everything we touch and probably even in the air we breath. No amount of anti-bacterial hand lotion is going to change that.
Which is not to say that sneezing on nectarines is ok. It's foul and disgusting and bleagh, I can't even imagine what I would have done in a similar situation.
Ewwwww ... there goes my love of fresh fruit and veggies! Thanks a lot!! LOL!
okay, that's just revolting... I didn't even see it, and -I'm- not sure I want to eat them again. lol
I worked at a grocery store for two months and was horrified at the filth. I worked in the "melon bar" and prepared fruit and veggie party platters. They gave me a rusty old knife and absolutely no sanitation products (bleach) whatsoever. They also had me pull any salvagable fruit/veggies out of the rotten platters and add to the new ones. And don't get me started on the uncleanliness of the back room where they got their shipments in. You would refuse to buy store bought stuff from now on if you only knew. My suggestions: buy farmer direct or do it yourself!
I worked at a grocery store for two months and you would be horrified at the uncleanliness of the area behind the doors where you food first arrives. I worked at the "melon bar" preparing fruit and veggie trays. They gave me a rusty knife to work with and no cleaning supplies - not even bleach. My suggestion: buy farmer direct or do it yourself!
Ewwwwwww! And good luck on your move back home. Sometimes that does the trick.
Carol (from Seattle)
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