In search of jewelry cleaner at Walmart I looked across the aisles at other shoppers and spotted a woman who had on the same sequined mask as me.

We saw each other at the same time.

She nodded in recognition.

I smiled under my mask, and noticed we also had on the same multi-colored jacket.

“What a coincidence,” I thought, and might have said out out loud, before I realized it was me in a long, wide mirror two aisles away.

Both of us looked around to see if anyone saw us.

That’s only one recent event that has caused me to doubt my sanity.

The day before I thought it was strange that the tech asked my weight before he did an electrocardiogram. An hour later at my six month appointment with the pulmonologist I found out my heart was normal, breathing was a little better, and I’d lied to the heart tech by 15 pounds.

In a search for larger jeans that afternoon I spotted a short-legged stool. I’d wanted one to sit on to pull weeds so I didn’t have to bend over.

Before I sat down on the stool I held onto the shopping cart, and steadied myself on a tall table.

The stool didn’t collapse from my weight, but I couldn’t get up.

I tried, and tried, and finally stopped a store clerk.

She couldn’t help me.

Another shopper came to my rescue, and said she helps her mother stand up. I protested, and said I’d hurt her, but she said I’d do all the work. She placed her arms across her chest, and had me up in a minute.

The store clerk told me her name, and when (not if) I had any other to her.

“Sure,” I said, and could envision a loudspeaker announcement: “Clean up on the plus size aisle. The old lady just dropped her them.”

That was the same day I got home from Braum’s without the milk because I’d hid it in the basket. I did get the eggs, butter and cheese because I’d put them in the baby seat in plain sight.

That reminds me I’ve got an eye doctor appointment this week. It also means more time seeing myself in a mirror. At least this time I’ll know it’s me.