When We Learn Things We Don't Want To Know

     It was the early part of 1997.  I was into my second trimester of having my first child.  I worked at Family Dollar in Allegan.  I was a key holder which meant I could open and close the store, do a little bit of book work, and basically act as manager in charge while the head manager is gone.  I loved working there.  The people I worked with were like family.  We all had a wonderful time working together. 

     One evening a few of us were restocking the shelves from a truck delivery that came the day before.  There was a lot to do.  I would fill up a cart full of items that it could be restocked and pull it to the front of the store so that the person running the cash register could put the items away.  I would unbox and put away the items located in the back half of the store.  If the cash register section got busy a bell would ring and I would dash up to the front and open the other register.  We were working fast because we wanted to get as much put out as we could. 

     Pete, a teenage boy who was working that night (and the only boy employed at the time), called me over to him.  He was stocking the shelves over by the ladies feminine products.  "I have a question."  He was busy putting boxes up on the shelf while he talked, "What is a du-shay?" 

     A confused look came across my face.  "A du-shay?"

     "Yea.  This.  I see women buy this all the time."  And he hands me the box.

     I look down at the box and snickered a bit in embarrassment.  "Pete, that is not a 'du-shay', that is a douche." 

     "What is it used for?"  He had a dead serious look to his face. 

     I had to pause for a moment and choose my words carefully.  He was, afterall, a minor and I didn't want to tell him things that were inapprropriate.  I put my hand on his shoulder as he was still croutched down towards the floor putting them in their proper spots.  "I will just tell you, Pete, that you will NEVER EVER need to use these."   I started to walk towards the back to resume my work.

     He followed me with a box still in his hand.  "Come on!  Tell me!  I want to know."

     I looked at him for a moment still debating on whether to tell him.  I figured if he is asking and putting those items away on a shelf he might as well know what they were used for.  I sighed a huge breath of disbelief of what I was about to tell him.  "Women will use this to help clean themselves up and make themselves feel fresher down there."  I glanced my eyes downwards to help tell him, nonverbally, of what area I was referring to. 

     He quickly dropped the box to the floor.  "EEEEWWW!  THAT IS SO GROSS!"  He yelled out while his face twisted into a disgusting look. 

     I shushed him to be quiet as customers were in the store.  I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.  "Now pick that up and go finish putting them back on the shelf."  He bent over and picked up the package pinching it between his thumb and finger.  He did not want to touch it anymore.  "I told you that you would never need to use this but you HAD to know."  I jested with him.  He glanced at me with another disgusted look on his face before he turned around and went back to restocking the shelves. 

     Later on a rush of customers were ready to check out.  I came to the front of the store to help ease the long line.  Pete and I were on a raised platform back to back surrounded by the registers.  We could see the long line of people waiting to be checked out with their carts full of items.  Pete quietly whispers to me nonchalantly but with fear in his voice, "Oh my gosh!  Look at the person in my row."

     I finish ringing up my customer and I glance up to see how long the lines are but in reality I look to see who Pete was referring to.  Nothing, to me, stood out.  Then I glanced down at some of their carts.  There in one person's cart was 6 boxes of douche among some other smaller items.  I look up at the person who was holding onto the cart and this lady could be the poster person for the People of Walmart internet site.  I probably wouldn't of had a second thought about this person except of how Pete was quietly reacting about it.

     He would reach down to grab a bag and quietly say under his breath so I could hear it.  "I hope she goes to your lane.  I don't think I could ring her up."

     I chuckle, trying not to draw attention to our ackward conversation.  "Just pretend like it is a box of chocolates."  I think I heard him gag a little when I said that.

     This lady finally reached Pete's side of the cash register.  Pete was trying to sound normal as he usually is but I could tell he felt nervous and disgusted at the same time.  My line was empty so I turned to help Pete bag her items.  I remember placing three in each bag so the bag wouldn't rip by the corners of the box.  Pete finished out the transaction as politely as he could.  After she left the store Pete turned to me with his eyes bulging out.  "6 BOXES?  SHE NEEDS 6 BOXES?!?!?!  THERE IS 2 TO A BOX!!!!"  He shudders his body then he thinks deeply about her purchase and shudders again. 

     I pat his shoulder, "You did well ringing her up, Pete.  Sometimes ignorance can be bliss but now you know."  With that I stepped off of register platform and went towards the back of the store and resumed pulling boxes out of the back and filling up the shelves.