Tuesday, December 6, 2011

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!

4 comments:

  1. I have never heard of this before! Common sense dictates that an onion which is essentially full of water/juices isn't going to absorb anything, not to mention would make a house smell pretty potent too! I like onions...but wouldn't buy into this nonsense!

    I am really surprised that someone hasn't complained about the cashier before being/seeming ill. That is just not the proper place to be if you are sick: dealing with the public!

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  2. Too many people come to work sick. Or got to school sick. Or to church, movies, wherever they feel they have to expose all the rest of us to their illnesses! PLEASE STAY HOME if you are SICK!!! Arrgh!

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  3. What! You don't eat onions!? You don't even cook with onions? Oh wait! I forgot. You and Alex both like bland foods, lol. Sounds like you and that rude old lady shamed the cashier into going home. You bad customers you! :) Don't you know she needs the money to pay her bills?

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  4. Yep, she needs the money, I'm sure, but the rest of us don't need getting her illness either! Most people work nowadays & don't need being exposed to cold & flu germs of others. Also, by now everyone should know not to cough into their hands where the germs are so easily & quickly transferred to everything they touch.

    HATE onions! YUCK! Though I do cook with minced onions I buy in the spice aisle, just for flavor in some recipes. I'm not quite into total blandness. haha

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