Thomasthetank

As the local alcoholic the Sainsburys down the road is where I have bought all my beer for the last two years... 15 cans a day... something like that. When I was drunk I couldn't care less about the security guards snide comments or the staff staring at me. Now when I need to buy non alcoholic things I'm actually dreading walking in there.

Anyone else experience something similar?

Gilmer

Yes. I tried to get some wine in the middle of the night, and the supermarket clerk gave me a very snide look and said, "We don't sell that till 6 in the morning." I like to do my grocery shopping in the early morning, and I felt like every time that guy looked at me from then on, he was judging me as "that drunken old bag."

Thomasthetank

Yeah a couple of nights ago I went in, got a 4 pack and I didn't have ID (How anyone would ID me blows my mind), so I said I usually know the staff and he asked the security guard, this angry little guy called soloman, if he knows me. He said "Oh yeah, yeah, he'll be back later for more" in a really snide way.

I went in and got myself sandwich stuff and I swear the guy was glaring at me the whole time and when I was on the self service he looked over to see what I was buying and gave me a look like "wow, not drinking, that makes a change".

Anyway one time I walked out of the shop with several items because I was drunk and thinking about batman (seriously! Haha )and didn't realise I hadn't paid. He didn't notice or stop me. So he's crap at his job anyway.

Hobbers

Well, he also knew you'd probably be back in a few hours anyway.

EndGameNYC

Who doesn't think about Batman when they're drunk?

Thepatman

When I go to where I used to buy drinks I wear a smirk on my face because I feel proud of myself.

Dee74

Grocery stores don;t sell alcohol here so that's not been a problem for me.

I'd just walk in tho...you're sober...I mean - does it really matter what some people at a shop might think, Tom?

D

Elodie

I don't get why people feel entitled to make snide comments. If you were heavyset and went in there a lot to buy candy and junk food, would they say anything? Probably not. At least not to your face.

Thomasthetank

Not really, to be honest I think I'm just oversensitive because I'm hungover, tired from work and going through a lot. I can't imagine I'll care in a couple of days.

3arai

Oh my goodness...
I have numerous times tried to buy wine too early...

the worst for me is the times I have gone in there hung over and unbathed, desperate for something to eat and hoping not to run into my old high school friends! I'm sure I looked like a zombie. Oh, then there was my declined credit card... with $60 in merchandise to go back on the shelf. That was a low point.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Anyone who deals with the public for a living becomes pretty numb and is mostly thinking about punching out and going home.

I have a small online store and, inevitably, I've received the meltdown emails when a package was a day late. I can't even remember the names of these people. Sure, I got a good chuckle out of it, but I mostly just wanted to fix the problem and move on.

Nuudawn

Somewhat latent shame dontcha think? You have no reason to be embarrassed ...you're sober. Those days are gone. Next time go in and give Solomon a giant hug and thank him for "saving" you with his snide demeanour. Look incredulous and say "hey man, your crappy judgy attitude really made me take a good look at myself. I'm sober dude..and it ALL thanks to you...and I'm gonna name my first born Solomon!'. Maybe summon some tears for affect... ya start to cry.

Shawn4233

This really made me laugh out loud.

Tonymblue

Same as Dee. Grocery stores dont sell anything but 3.2 beer. Saved me the walk of shame.

BlissWithin

this remembers me the days I would buy a bottle of vodka and a package of half pound of peanuts at 8 am still hungover from the previous night. breakfast of champions!

Cornelius

There have been times when I was drinking a lot when I would make sure to go to different stores to buy booze so I wouldn't be stopping in the same place all the time. Sometimes, when I would stumble into a particular place at 8 in the morning on a Sunday to buy beer, I would then get embarrassed and avoid the place for a couple weeks after that.

roguedreams

I did the switch-it-up circuit, rotating between two liquor stores. The guy at one of them (I was probably in once a week) must've been an alkie/druggie himself, because every time I came in, his conversations with me revolved around booze and drugs. I would never say anything, he would just ramble ramble ramble ramble on and on.

Or maybe I just looked like an alkie and a druggie >>> derp. Lol. But it kept me coming back, because I felt "safe" and un-judged, buying my handles of Jack while listening to the clerk prate on about drinking and partying. Oof.

Hawks

When I lived in England, the local offy, grocery store guy knew me by name.

He knew I had a problem, not many people are waiting at 8am for him to open.

Who cares, what they used to think!!!

Point is, what do they think now?

I'd bet £100 quid, if you go ask. They'll say something like " yeah I noticed, good for you"

N3p3nth3

I'm so glad to not be doing that anymore. I used to drink about three nights a week and I would switch up the stores so that I didn't go to the same one more than once a week. Even then, I was always worried and embarrassed that the clerks were catching on. More of a reflection on how I felt about myself than anything else!

Chilledice

Just remember what they think are just their THOUGHTS! They are not your loved ones so why even care what they think? You are sober so hold your head high

heath480

You can walk in with your head held high Thomas,you are sober that is what matters.

I found out when I got sober that noone was in the least bit interested in me.The security guards have a job to do,they were watching to see if you nicked anything!

Wishing you well.