Saturday 26 May 2012

Priorities

Do you look in other people's trolleys in the shops?  I do. 

 I was shocked this afternoon in the local Tesco where I was pootling around.  I was in the medications aisle, and a lady came along with a baby in the seat of the trolley and said to her partner/husband, "Oh, I really need some Calpol for him," indicating to the baby, "but it is so expensive!"  Calpol is not THAT expensive, and there are generic versions available, but she walked on by without picking up a bottle from the shelf. 

 So what is so shocking about that?  Well, in the trolley was a large pack of beer with a label on it which said £6, I believe.  I think that most of us would have put the beer back and bought the Calpol.  I was gobsmacked.....and have to keep replaying it in my mind as I can't quite believe that what I saw happening actually really happened.  Did a family actually choose beer over medication for their child?

8 comments:

Mrs Thrifty said...

I think I'd have reacted like you. It's £1.50 for the generic 'calpol' - sadly they are probably reflective of many parents x

Trudie said...

Oh yes! I can well believe it - I work in housing and you would be amazed the amount of people that would do that - they see their children as a means of upping their benefit money only- could have been worse - there are plenty out there that would prefer to buy their drugs before even feed their children let alone give them calpol xx

Unknown said...

How sad.

Sft x

The Squirrel Family said...

Sad- although I like to think perhaps they will be off to the Dr's for a free prescribed bottle. however , I worked at a local sure start centre and unfortunately realise there are lots of people who put themselves before their children.

Meanqueen said...

It's a shocking state of affairs. My mum went without herself to give her three children what we needed. What is the world coming to!

Morgan said...

I had forgotten it was possible to get Calpol on prescription, so I do hope that this lady does that rather than let the child go without for whatever his ailment was. He was of such a size that I would suspect he would be teething.

dippy days said...

Perhaps optimistically the beer was for a friend and theyd included it in their shopping for ease? perhaps they had little money to use that day and were going to borrow some calpol off a friend? -its not always the way you see it.

Morgan said...

Thanks for visiting, Dippy Days, and for your optimistic attitude. I wish I shared it but perhaps I am becoming too cynical in my middle age!