My OCD Came C.O.D.

I recently noticed a disturbingly anal-retentive habit that I have. I say recently, but actually I've always kinda of been somewhat aware of it. It explains a lot, actually. I documented it so you can vicariously experience it too.

First off, I am one of those kind of people that likes to approach a task in a way that will be the most beneficial for everyone, be it time, effort and/or logic. I think everyone has their own little ritualistic ways of getting things accomplished, whether they realize it or not. I realize it. I also realize that my 'process' is considered "OCD," 'cause as everyone knows, everything has to have a label today or it's unsettling for others. With that said, look at these photos and I'll explain one of my pet peeves:

I can't tell you how many times I have gotten behind someone in line at the grocery store who opts to just throw the contents of their shopping cart willy-nilly onto the conveyor belt, with no regard for the person behind them. I realize that in the grand scheme of things, this is no big deal, but it drives me batty.

Photo 1- Here we have your typical straight man's tactic (or lack thereof) for unloading his cart. Had he just exerted a little effort, it would have sped up the process threefold: (1) Had he unloaded his cart logically, this would have allowed the person behind him (namely me) to lay down a plastic divider and begin to unload my groceries while his purchases are being rung up, so as to be ready for immediate checkout once he's paid and left. (2) The clerk wouldn't have to advance the conveyor as many times, thus giving him/her more time to actually be scanning said items. (3) Speeding up the process for the other people in line behind me.

Now that's not rocket science is it? Should I even have to be explaining how to unload a shopping cart? Isn't this shit just common sense? You'd think so, but apparently it's not. And what's with the fuckin' cart he's holding onto? This ain't freeze tag. The cart is not "base" pull the motherfucker up and to the other side of yourself, so your groceries can be loaded into it. Think you can handle that, Jerry Garcia?

Photo 2 & 3- Here are my purchases. We both had the same number of items: 12. See how his cart's contents take up the entire length of the conveyor belt? Mine took up half and left space for the next person to begin unloading their basket.

Now allow for me to deviate from the topic for just a second and complain about another pet peeve of mine. When exactly did the grocery industry become the second home to Special Olympians? What's that about? All the local grocery stores have their own Corky brigade and it never fails that I get one of them. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten home with frozen food items and magazines and/or Kleenex boxes put into the same bag. WTF? Now my Kleenex boxes and magazines, both, are warped. Sure, sure they're sweet and don't do it on purpose, but I was under the assumption that these people were trained and somehow capable of basic skills, thus the job. And don't even get me started on the mix-n-match grab bags I've come home with: canned goods, boxes, produce, all in the same bag.

Here's my thought process when it comes to unloading my shopping cart: [1] Utilize the space, [2] Put like items with like, when placing them on the conveyor belt: Refrigerated/frozen items in one bag, boxes in one bag, soft/fragile things in another. The reason I do this is because it helps whoever ends up bagging my groceries, not to mention everyone else waiting in line behind me. That's not too convoluted of a thought process is it? Call me crazy, but I call it common sense. Maybe it's just me.