Accepting Help Doesn’t Make You Helpless

(I’ve stopped at a grocery store to get a few things that were on sale, pick up some of our WIC stuff (a government program that provides nutritious food to low-income children), and ended up buying an Oprah magazine. At the checkout:)

Guy Behind Me: “Nice to see my tax dollars are paying for your milk so you have money to buy stuff from Oprah.”

Me: “OH, MY GOD! I TOTALLY FORGOT!”

Guy Behind Me: *stares*

Me: “I totally forgot that accepting help to make sure my child gets nutritious food means you get to sign off on my personal decisions.”

Guy Behind Me: *stares*

Me: “I haven’t asked you yet today – what do you think of this outfit? Is it okay? And my hair? I was going to call you when I was doing it to make sure it was okay with you, but I didn’t want to interrupt you since you were probably busy.”

Guy Behind Me: *stares*

Me: “Did you want to come home with me now and make sure my clothes for tomorrow are okay? Or choose what I have for dinner? I was thinking rice and beans. Is that all right, or is that not impoverished enough?”

Guy Behind Me: *puts down his basket and leaves the store*