05 November 2018 - WIC

Post date: Nov 5, 2018 3:20:04 PM

Last week I was in the check-out line at a box store. The 6' 2" tall woman in front of me seemed to pregnant - big belly & buying baby clothes. I was checking her out because you can't teach tall and sometimes I day dream about getting back into volleyball.

As she is completing her transaction I perk up my ears when the cashier says, "I'm sorry but none of your items qualify for WIC". Her WIC card had just been scanned and provided $0 for her check-out.

I was incredulous. I spoke up, in anger and ignorance about the system, "She has oranges, fresh basil, and a bag of carrots. None of those qualify for WIC?!" The cashier, deflated, said, "No, sir" and the woman with a sweet there-there-you-idiot smile, said, "No... They are really strict on what you can buy." The cashier nodded in agreement, knowingly.

I let it go on the spot, no need to hold everyone up discussing a system we could not fix in the check-out line. However, we can do better, humans. Recognize the problem. Be the change the world needs.