Not sure what an item was called

May 16, 2009

Not sure what an item was called

I was working as a cashier and I was monitoring the self-checkout registers. A customer had a problem with an item not scanning, so I went over to help them. They had a plastic item with a handle on it. I struggled to figure out what I was holding in my hand. I thought that it was a thing that you use to water plants. The word that I came up with was “watery” but I was not convinced that was right. I needed to type a word at the register, so I used that word. I was able to complete the transaction for the customer and I was just relieved by that. The word that I meant to spell was “waterer”, but I didn't have any clue how to spell that. I just can't think of what it was called. I just feel like crying!

After I left the register, I went back to my screen to continue monitoring the registers. This really bothered me that I was unsure what this item was called, so I wrote some notes on a small piece of paper.

When I first saw this item, I thought that it might be a vase, then I said to myself, “that's not a vase.” I'm very worried and scared because I don't really understand what is happening to me. “What is that word?” It is twenty minutes after this happened and I'm still unsure what the correct word is. I'm asking myself, “Is it a watering can?” I'm not sure why, but this is just stressing me out! I'm not feeling very smart right now.

One hour later when I was on my break, I went to the lawn and garden department. I found the same item that I had at the register. I found a price checker nearby and scanned it. It said “watering can”. Boy, was I happy to see that I was right after all, although I didn't know it. It just took me some time to work it out. The rest of my shift went just fine. The only explanation that I have for the way that I am feeling is that the fog must have rolled in.

UPDATE: March 2021

Although I am not working anymore, there are times when I can’t name an object in my home. I think that is because I can’t remember what it is called. Maybe I know what it is called but I’m having some problems with word retrieval.