Patrick Gibson, an army dad, never imagined he would be so angry when he left the supermarket. In fact, it was another family shopping cart that sent him into fury. So, what exactly did they do? Keep reading to know more!
In A Rage
It began as any other trip to the supermarket but ended with him fleeing the store in a rage. He wasn’t enraged by the long lines at the checkout counters or the suffocating crowds in the produce aisle. It wasn’t the misbehaving children who had public meltdowns as their mothers walked by with glassy eyes. It was another family’s shopping cart. When he saw their massive haul, the military man felt like he was going to pass out. He snapped a photo of the cart and posted it to Facebook immediately.
In A Rage
Working Hard For His Family
Patrick Gibson is doing everything he can to support his small family, which is his top priority. He had hoped that once he enlisted in the U.S. Army, things would improve. He would be serving his country, even if he would have to leave his family for several months at a time. However, the time he spent away from the people he cared about was beginning to wear him down. Patrick understood that anything worthwhile would not come easily, so he tried to remember what his father had taught him: nothing in life is free.
Working Hard For His Family
Making Do With What They Had
Patrick had the good fortune of meeting the love of his life when he was young, and the two married soon after. Patrick soon became the father of two lovely children, a boy, and a girl. He was the family’s breadwinner. The couple struggled because Patrick was the only one working. They made do with what they had, though. It wasn’t easy, but they managed to get by.
Making Do With What They Had
Stretching It
Patrick often skipped breakfast so that his family could eat, and as a result, he was frequently hungry. He made $70 per month and tried to stretch it as far as possible, but $70 is insufficient to feed children, purchase diapers, and make car payments. They were barely scraping by after all of their expenses. Nonetheless, Patrick was unconcerned. They had each other, which he appreciated. He’d figure out a way to make things work.
Stretching It
A Trip To The Supermarket
Patrick was relieved to discover that their budgeting had paid off after a month. He had some money left over from his paycheck, so he went to the local Walmart to stock up on groceries. He carefully calculated the totals in his head before selecting the best buys and promotions. As he walked up and down the aisles, he did this. He might be able to afford the fat red grapes he’d eyed in the produce section. Patrick was in a good mood, but that would soon change.
A Trip To The Supermarket
Done Shopping
Since Walmart was packed that day, Patrick decided to get his shopping done as quickly as possible. He eventually grew tired of the wailing children and other shoppers slamming their grocery carts into his heels. He needed to get out, so he went to the checkout line, pushing his cart full of valuables. When he arrived at the line, he patiently awaited his turn.
Done Shopping
Overflowing With Luxury
The line of customers was moving slowly. Patrick had time to check out the carts in front of him. He longingly gazed at the piles of groceries. He spotted fresh ribeye steaks, shrimp, lobster, bacon, butter — practically all the expensive luxury that he could never afford. The carts were full. The couple then began to drop their groceries on the counter. Patrick realized that both carts actually belonged to one family. “Must be nice,” he thought to himself. However, Patrick saw red when the man paid.
Overflowing With Luxury
Couldn’t Believe His Eyes
The couple’s groceries were placed in bags, and a mind-numbing total of $800 was displayed on the screen. Given the amount and type of groceries the couple was bringing home, this wasn’t surprising. Patrick was taken aback when the man took out and opened his wallet. The man tossed several $100 bills aside and replaced them with an EBT card. The state welfare departments issue EBT cards, which are electronic benefits cards. It’s a system for electronic food stamps. Patrick decided he’d had enough and pulled out his phone.
Couldn’t Believe His Eyes
Angry
The food stamp program is designed to assist people who are struggling to put food on the table. Using an EBT card is perfectly acceptable. Patrick was unfazed by this. He was enraged because the couple could afford to pay for their groceries but instead used an EBT card. Patrick then decided to do the unthinkable.
Angry
Snapping A Photo
Patrick struggled to keep his mouth shut and bite his tongue, but he succeeded. Instead of venting his rage on the two big spenders in front of him, he took a picture. He began to calm down after that. After all, he couldn’t possibly know the couple’s current situation. He might have been a little too quick to pass judgment. However, Patrick’s last straw came when he saw the couple doing something in the parking lot.
Snapping A Photo
Loading Their Loot
It took a long time for the couple to load their massive haul into their car. When Patrick passed the couple in the parking lot, he had just finished paying for the three bags of groceries that he had so carefully selected. He took a look at them. It would have been better if he hadn’t because what he saw only served to enrage him further. It also compelled him to act on the picture he had taken.
Loading Their Loot
Made Peace
He’d made peace with what he’d witnessed at the checkout line. Patrick had resolved to shake it off. On the other hand, Patrick was taken aback when he saw the couple in the parking lot and the car they were driving. It’s safe to say that it wasn’t a cheap car. He decided to make the couple famous for this reason.
Made Peace
Venting
The couple, who were on food stamps, was loading $800 worth of groceries into the trunk of their brand new Hyundai Genesis in the parking lot. According to Patrick, this car is $15,000 to $20,000 more expensive than his family’s car. The big question was how the couple was able to afford a car while on benefits. Things were clearly not adding up, so Patrick decided to share the story on social media.
Venting
Adding Insult To Injury
This last detail only added insult to injury for Patrick. Patrick was willing to let things go despite the couple having spent $800 on groceries, including rib-eye steak and lobster, with an EBT card. It was, however, simply too much to see the couple drive a brand new car while on welfare. Patrick, whose blood was boiling, took to Facebook to vent his frustrations.
Adding Insult To Injury
Facebook Post
Patrick started his angry Facebook post, “Sorry, but I had to vent. The picture you see on the left is the number of groceries, including diapers, that I could afford this pay period for my family (wife, son, daughter, myself) which was paid in cash since I actually work hard for a living. The picture on the right is of the purchase in front of me in line.”
Facebook Post
The Problem
Patrick added, “If you can’t tell in the picture, there are 2 full buggies of groceries including such items like steak and some other very nice choices of food. Here’s the kicker. This purchase was made in food stamps.” Continuing, “which I wouldn’t have a problem with if I didn’t see the person move their big fold of cash out of the way to get to the EBT card and then load them into the back of a brand new Hyundai Genesis.”
The Problem
Incredulous
Patrick was stunned. “That’s about 15k-20k more than my car,” he said. He added, “I just thought I would take the time to tell this person/family that you are very welcome from all of us hard-working/ struggling to buy food Americans that have to foot the bill for your fancy steak feast while I skip breakfast and lunch every day so my wife and children have food to eat …because $50-$75 doesn’t go very far.”
Incredulous
Outraged
Patrick ends his post with a snarky remark. He wrote, “So you enjoy your $800 free grocery purchase.” Some Facebook users were enraged as well. In his post, others like him work hard but still struggle to buy food, so his post most likely touched a nerve with these people. It’s also possible that some users felt Patrick’s pain. Whatever the reason, the post drew a large number of responses.
Outraged
Criticism
The majority of the feedback was positive. Many people said they had witnessed similar events. Patrick, on the other hand, received some backlash for his Facebook post. Some people advised him not to pass judgment on strangers based on what he had seen. “Do you really know their back story?” one commenter wondered. This individual also suggested that the new car might have been a gift. On the other hand, Patrick’s response shed light on why he felt an injustice had occurred in Walmart that day.
Criticism
His Reply
Patrick replied, “Well, the odds of that being the case in this situation, much like many other situations with food stamps, are almost as likely as me being approved for some government assistance because we are struggling …oh wait, I forgot. We already got denied.” He continued, “So I’m pretty sure no one gave her a free car. I am sure that hard-working people such as myself are giving her a free life, though.”
His Reply
Denied Assistance
So, what had enraged Patrick so much? It was because the state had refused to help him and his family when they were in desperate need. Patrick protects and serves all Americans, but he is ineligible for food stamps. This is a mind-boggling fact. Do you think Patrick was too quick to judge the couple who used food stamps to buy luxury items? Do you think there’s more to the couple’s past than meets the eye?
Denied Assistance
Going Viral
Patrick’s Facebook post has gotten a lot of attention, which is understandable. It has received over 100,000 shares and hundreds of comments, with many arguments both for and against Patrick’s assessment of the couple who did not appear to need government assistance. One comment in particular, among the many about Patrick’s experience, brought up an interesting point.
Going Viral
The Issue
One comment read, “My point is, a picture paints a thousand words, and your version is highly biased. No one needs to thank you or anyone else for working for their grocery bill when the fact is that a majority of families participating in the program are working families struggling to make ends meet just as you are.” The issue of who qualifies for financial assistance is still a touchy subject.
The Issue
Justified?
Whatever the case may be, the welfare system should never be exploited. It was created to help low-income families. Anyone with a conscience should never look at the system as a way to get free stuff. Some people need the system, and some may not be able to use it if others do. Do you think Patrick’s rage was justified?
Justified?