Onions to Ward Off Sickness

Yesterday I was shopping at Kroger for some groceries. At the checkout I noticed the cashier was sick. I thought about changing lanes, but the other lines were longer and I would be next in line in the sicky's lane. It was still tempting to change lanes though to a longer but safer line!

When the cashier glanced at me I asked her if she had caught a cold, but she muttered she just had a headache. She was very grumpy with the customer in front of me, a rather difficult, outspoken older lady who complained and griped about everything the cashier was doing.

I really think the cashier was sick though with her watery eyes, red nose, and phlegmy cough. It made me nervous to think of her touching my groceries that I would then have to touch when I got home. Especially since I saw her coughing into her hand as she was ringing up the other customer's items.

The old lady in front of me then agreed that she thought the cashier was sick. She then proceeded to say the cashier probably called in sick, but was told she would be fired if she didn't come to work. I replied the cashier probably had to come in because she needs the money to pay her bills like all working people.

Another cashier came to help bag the old lady's groceries. The two cashiers were speaking quietly together, looking at us, as the old lady and I were talking. The old lady was telling me she hasn't been sick in the past four years since she has taken to placing onions in every room in her house. She swore it worked for absorbing sick germs and that I should try it. I was polite and thanked her for the advice, telling her  I get sick very easily and stay quite sick for a minimum of two weeks, usually now three weeks.

Well, I hate onions, as many of you know. I would never be able to stand having onions all over the house. Ewww, YUCK! Only one time did I buy an onion, to please my sister-in-law when my brother's family was coming over for dinner back when I was newly married. After that one time I vowed to never allow an onion into my home again! Nasty, smelly, foul tasting things!

But I was curious about the old lady's claims of an onion being able to keep one from getting ill. So I looked it up on the computer when I got home, after putting the groceries away. I found that it is not true on the snopes website. This article on the myth of onions keeping everyone healthy was quite interesting to read though. Here it is if you're interested: http://www.snopes.com/medical/swineflu/onion.asp

Oh, and as far as the sick cashier touching my groceries - it never happened. I actually had planned on asking her to use the sanitizing gel by her register before she rang me up, but she left before I could speak to her. The other cashier that came to help bag the old lady's stuff was the one who rang me up. I felt much better for it!

I bet the cashier went home right after all of this, feeling completely miserable. Besides being sick, she had two women discussing her in front of everyone! Sorry, Kroger cashier!! Hope you feel better soon!