Used Underwear

The Today show repeated their story about stores like Gap, Victoria Secret, Macy's, and Bloomingdale's reselling "used" underwear. The reporters bought the panties or swim suit bottoms, removed the tags and the sanitary strip, sometimes stained them with baby oil, and returned them to the stores. They watched as the clothing was retagged and returned to the rack immediately.

The good news is that all the stores they first tested had repented and no longer accepted or no longer resold the returned items. The bad news is that other stores like Walmart and Marshall's were offenders when the experiment was tried at their stores. Target and another store that I can't remember passed the test on the first try.

OK, so my first response is EEWW!! My second response is--how many more disgusting transactions take place that I don't know about? The world is a germy place and if I think about it too much I get really paranoid and OCD. I try not to be too radical. Sometimes I just throw caution to the wind and forge out in the world as if there were no offending particles out there. Other times I freak.

Here are some things I don't like to touch:

1. Escalator railing--I heard once that there was fecal matter and vaginal secretions on them. I'm not even asking how that happened.
2. Grocery cart handles--Well, I do touch them, but I wipe them off with the wet wipes. I realize it probably does little good, but I pretend it does. Don't tell me differently or my family will never eat again.
3. Salad bars and buffets--I realize you don't really touch them, but I think of all the people that do touch the food, put it back, nibble, sneeze, cough...UGH!! It's hard for me to eat out anywhere if I think about other people touching, spitting in, or worse to my food. Just don't go there in your mind or you'll starve.
4. Those levers on fountain drinks or even the spigot the soda comes out--I've seen people drink from the cup and then put it back on the lever or on the spigot. Gross!! Maybe the carbonation kills all germs. I'm sure it does. And those quick stops must clean those areas every few months minutes, don't they?
5.Public restrooms--Well, this is almost a given. Did I even need to mention them? I'd rather pee in the bushes than in a rest stop. But I have an over-active bladder and I'm doomed to knowing where every restroom is within a city block of where I am. I don't sit and I do wash my hands. I can't avoid these places. I just CAN'T. But I do check out and note the cleanest among them.
6. Samples at grocery stores--I know, I have eaten lunch at Costco, but I was desperate that day! Usually I just don't like to eat anything that's been exposed to air where people breathe and touch.
7. Foot soaking basins--where you get pedicures. Why do those people wear masks? So we can't come back and identify them when we get foot fungus, that's why.
8. Wash basins at hair salons--other people lay their necks on that rim before me. Do they sanitize between each customer? I think not!
9. Tooth brushes--even my own at home. I heard that if your toothbrush is within 6 ft. of the toilet that particles fly through the air after you flush and descend on the afore-mentioned tooth cleaner.
10. Any public pool, spa or exercise equipment--Another excuse for not exercising or getting into a swim suit in public.
11. Airport security lines and the floor in dressing rooms--I must wear socks when I fly and keep my flip flops under my feet when I try on clothes.
12. Library books--If a book smells like cigarette smoke, I won't check it out. I try not to eat while reading and I try to wash my hands afterward.

Now that I list these the number is growing. I added to the list twice. I mustn't dwell on this. I'm freaking myself out. There are Diet Coke cans, door knobs, ...Somebody stop me!!

I'm sure this is not what you wanted to read first thing in the morning, but...it crossed my mind. So I just throw it out there for you to chew on. (Not literally. I know you wouldn't chew on anything that's been on the Internet. Blech!!)