Just... Just Lock Me Up

I just had another "social goof" at a different store and I think I should never leave the house again, ok?

I bought a device for camping that didn't work quite as expected and so after some emails with the (really good) customer service of the device-company, they told me to go exchange it at the store under warranty.

I got around to doing that today.  Walked myself down to the place (exercise and fresh air should help me feel better, right?) and waited in line and brought out the device and receipt and explained that I was here to exchange it under warranty.

"And where's the other item you're exchanging?" said the person behind the counter?  I pointed to the one I'd brought "it's... right there?" I said, confused as to what they were asking... did they need the other item on my receipt?  That made no sense.

(In retrospect, I sincerely believe this is a Covid-pandemic related moment.... since I've been doing mainly online shopping for, what... two years now?  Exchanges mean sending something back in the mail and getting a new something sent out to you, or more often, just returning the item in the mail and getting the money refunded.  I can not honestly remember the last time I did an in-store exchange and that's what I'm blaming my brain blank on!)

"The item you're exchanging for?" they replied...

I gasped.  YOU NEED THE SHELF TO DO AN EXCHANGE OMG YOU DUMB DUMB!

I looked at them "OMG I'm so sorry, I'm just waking up, I totally blanked" (There's that need to apologize again, front and center.)

And again, I was wearing a mask but I hope and assume they could see my "OMG" look in my eyes.  I tried to joke/smile about it and went and found the new item and then went back and did the exchange and tried to make friendly small talk about my not being alert and smiled with my eyes (over the mask) and walked myself back home, replacement item in hand.

But damn y'all... that over-upset social anxiety piece really really wants me to dwell on these two incidents and get wrapped up in how everyone hates me and I'm awful and should never interact with anyone again and there's this other part of my brain that sees this as a path that people who literally don't and can't leave their house.... because this stuff is hard and awful and really not great to deal with and push through and keep on going with.

So, yeah... not the best "store visiting" week for me, although to be fair, I've had at least two other store visits that were pleasant and fine, so it's just my brain picking up the two difficult ones and wanting to keep them front and center.  Sigh.