Are You Insanely Obsessive-Compulsive at the Gas Pump Too?

The definition of anal retentive: (adjective) Excessively orderly and fussy (supposedly owing to conflict over toilet-training in infancy).

Now, I will admit to the "excessively orderly and fussy" part. However, I didn't know that personality trait allegedly traced back to conflicts I had with toilet training during my formative years. That said, anyone who knows me (and is familiar with the fact that I have MAJOR issues with public toilets) will tell you that I am as "excessively orderly and fussy" as it gets when it comes to popping a squat in public.  Simply put- I won't do it.  I'd rather internally combust than have to actually have to place my butt cheeks onto a public toilet.

The definition of obsessive-compulsive: (adjective)  Denoting or relating to a disorder in which a person feels compelled to perform certain stereotyped actions repeatedly to alleviate persistent fears or intrusive thoughts.

Yep! I'm that too and I proudly admit to various obsessive-compulsive tendencies. There are certain appliances in my home that I will not leave plugged in if am going to be spending time away from my house. I won't use ink pens that are missing their tops. I have a list the length of the Nile, but I'll spare you the psychosis.

However, I must share this one. Another obsessive-compulsive "disorder" I have revolves around the numbers on a gas pump. Are you like this too?

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I will not. I repeat.  I will NOT stop fueling up my car (Miss Celie the Chrysler 300) if the amount of money I am spending is an random number.  I will NOT do it.  And, so you can get the full extent of my crazy, let me explain what a random number is (or rather is not).  I will only stop pumping gas if the last number in the amount of money I owe is a zero or a five.

See Exhibit A above????  If that read $35.21, I would have pumped just enough gas in the tank to get that number to $35.25 or $36.00.  If I overshot the goal amount, I would have kept squeezing the lever until the total ended in a 0 or 5. There's no freaking way I would let an extra cent or two just linger there. That's just nuts to me.  And, trust me when I tell you, the only thing more offensive to my fussy obsessive-compulsiveness than a .01` is a .08 or a .09.

Can you ever, in your whole life, imagine being comfortable with this abomination?

I would literally just stroke out in the parking lot and the paramedics would have to swoop in and revive me.

So, do you know anyone else who does this?  Maybe it's you. Maybe you're excessively orderly and fussy too. Who knows? Maybe your toilet training as an infant was as traumatic as mine. If so, just know that you're not alone.  While I can't (i.e. WON'T) be with you in spirit in the public restroom, I am right there with you in spirit at the pump.  Go forth, my obsessive-compulsive spirit animal. You do you!