baby needs new shoes

I stopped by Old Navy recently for my monthly shop-through. The great thing about Old Gravy is that if I see a shirt I like this month for $25, I know I can go back next month and find it for $9. The only downside is that the shirt may only be in XXL by then.

Anyhooser, I found a tank top and fleece pullover that were so cheap there was no need to wait for further sale. There was a small debate at the register over the price of the fleece (it rung up differently than the signage indicated), so I waited there with the cashier while another employee ran back for a price-check. While we were waiting, the cashier started some small talk: "Are you getting this for your kids?"

Stop.

Let's outer-body together and observe at this scene unfolding. Here are the facts:

• I am shopping alone. In a moment of rarity, I don't think there are any kids even in the store presently and certainly not the children I have yet to have.
• To my knowledge, I am not exuding any obvious signs of motherhood, such as paint in my hair, a pacifier lodged in my earlobe, or a Dora backpack.
  
• I am purchasing two clothing items in what are clearly adult sizes.

These facts lead me to two possible conclusions:

1. The cashier is so unobservant she fails to notice that the clothes she just picked up and scanned are adult's. Or, more horrifying,
   
2. She took a look at me and judged me OLD ENOUGH to have children BIG ENOUGH to be wearing adult sizes.

The only other time I have been mistaken as a faux-parent was at Blockbuster several years ago when I went to rent a movie with my eleven-year-old "little sister." It's a disturbing feeling, but at least that time there was an actual child present.