My children threw all the lottery tickets on the floor, in the supermarket, and I left it for the lady to pick up :(

[KnifesHope]

I feel really bad about this and I think AIBU is the perfect place, you lot can be really harsh! And I think that's what I need, I know I was unreasonable and I just can't get over it.

We were in the local supermarket and I had just picked the DC up from school. They were playing with each other in the corner while I paid the lady, she was lovely btw and young, not that it makes any difference. I was on my phone, I had answered it while we were at the till (which is something I wouldn't do, but my dad has been in hospital and I have to answer the call, for any updates etc) I had noticed my children had thrown all those paper lottery tickets over the floor (the ones that you write on) and I had got some bad news from the hospital (the worst diagnosis really and btw this isn't for sympathy) so I was beginning to cry, I then just left with the children but as I left, I saw the lady picking them all up :( I don't want her to think my children are horrors and I'm some kind of evil woman who lets them do what they want, it's just I was going to have to tell them about how sick their grandad is and I just wasn't even thinking straight, gosh. I'm awful.

I have changed my username as I don't want people to judge me around the website for the future...

Tell me how awful I was. Maybe it will stop me dwelling on it.

If she saw your reaction or emotion she probably knew somethung was up and didn't mind picking it up

Maybe next time you go in speak to her manager and tell them how she helped you

Just after my DF died, I was so distracted in a supermarket that I walked off with the wrong trolley mid-shop and didn't realise till I got to the checkout and clocked that half the things in it weren't mine . And it turned out to belong to an extremely cantankerous justifiably annoyed frail-looking elderly woman who gave me a loud telling off. Twice

Be kind to yourself, OP - you are going to need to cut yourself some slack to get through this difficult time

If it makes you feel any better, I had the DC with me for a dental appointment today. They'd had their checkups and we're waiting patiently (or so I thought) by the door while I got mine done.

While the dentist was using that buffer thing on my teeth I heard him say to the nurse "oh, can you get that back from the little one there?" I thought "oh Christ, what's the little bugger got hold of now?" As he was still working on my teeth I couldn't tell 2yo DS off or tell him to give back whatever he's got hold of, so I just lay there and said nothing.

Then the dentist said "I had no idea that actually came off, did you?" and the nurse said "no I didn't either!" So I'm now paranoid that he broke something important and they were too nice to say so. I was that flustered from sending DS2 mental vibes of "don't touch anything!!" I just muttered thanks and legged it!

Sorry for your bad news; I'm pretty sure the cashier could see your call wasn't good news and has probably just thought no more of the mess.

Then the dentist said "I had no idea that actually came off, did you?" and the nurse said "no I didn't either!"

It's alright my love, as pp has said, tell the manager how kind she was next time you go in and why.

think of it as the kindness of strangers

Let it go, totally understandable in the circumstances. It's no biggie - the woman has probs forgot about it already. Sorry to hear about your dad, hope you are as OK as you can be.

These stories have made me laugh.

Thanks everyone :)

I once had an absoloute fit in Waitrose . Long and boring story but I was completely in the wrong.

I went back two days later and apologised to the woman I had spent the best part of ten minutes yelling at. I had to remind her what it was about.

Honestly, she will have just picked the tickets up, been pissed off for 5 minutes then moved on. Apologise next time you see her if you get the chance but don't dwell on it.

Next time you are passing call in and do a £1 line of the lottery and give it to her. I am sure she has totally forgotten already but it will make you feel better.

I am so sorry you got bad news. Look after yourself x

Theres always one ^^

You are clearly a good person because you care about how she feels. Why not pop in and apologise with brief explanation?

I'm sure the lady didn't even give it another thought and moved on to doing her next job of the day. You really shouldn't worry about it! But do whatever will make YOU feel better about it. if that means going in and explaining or just having a big glass of wine and letting it go then that's ok too.

If it's any consolation one of my children broke a clock in what is possibly one of the most famous addresses in the country I live in the lady if the house was charmingly flippant about it, turns out it was a seriously important historical thing.
Almost a decade later the shame still hits me and I didn't even gave an excuse!

Things take on a very weird kind of meaning when you are suffering. The human brain highlights the smallest things and you end up go using on things that you wouldn't have thought twice about in happier times. I have had my share of bad news over the years and know that state of trying to take in devastating stuff whilst attempting to carry on normality. It's a clash of two very different worlds and it's a very hard juxtaposition.

(Ignore the sicko who is probably getting off on causing pain to others... Probably the only way they feel noticed in this world)

OP I've been left to clear up customers children's wee on the floor in shops I've worked in, without so much as a "sorry", and with no offer to help. Tjats the kind of thing that annoys a retail worker!

Lotto tickets on the floor is just. Another thing to us retail staff. We really wouldn't even think about it for more than about 3 seconds.

It's all good. Sending

So sorry for your bad news

As others have said apologise next time you go in as it's weighing on your conscience.

Perhaps next time you see her you can thank her for being so sweet about the tickets.

Sorry about your father. I know how that feels.

Go in as soon as possible and apologise. It will be cathartic.
Sorry for the bad news about your father.

I don't think you are awful either.

How about rather than you going in and apologising taking your DC in to do it for you. They made the mess after all. Even if the staff member doesn't remember the incident they will never forget it and hopefully won't do it again.

You could nip back and explain? Might make you feel better?

I am sure she could see you were upset op.

If it helps, I relished the random little clean-up jobs like this when I worked in a supermarket. Anything to break up the monotony of shiny-happy-small-talk with rude customers.

So sorry about your dad OP. Please, be kinder to yourself.

Sorry about your dad, sure the shop worker wasn't too fussed, papers are easy to clean up. Will probably make you feel better though (and a good lesson for your children) if you make them apologise next time you're in there.