My grandparents don't have a lot of money. Or rather, they have a decent amount of money, but because she grew up poor, Grandma doesn't like spending except for gambling. They have an RV they use to travel state to state, looking for casinos. Beyond that, nothing.
While we were visiting this summer, my grandma complained of her skin itching. She gets rashes on her neck, and the doctor hadn't been able to help. I gave her some special lotion Mom had gotten me from her work. Grandma said it worked marvelously. That would've been the end of it, but then Mom found dish soap in the shower.
Mom: What's this for?
Grandma: For washing yourself.
Mom: Mom, that's DEGREASER.
Grandma: So?
It also turned out that the lotions she had were all bought at garage sales. She never buys them in stores because they're "just as good."
So Mom and I, thoroughly shaken, drive to the nearest mall, went to Bath and Body Works, and bought three big bags of body wash, lotion, and skin care stuff. When I gave it to Grandma, she nearly cried and said, "That's so expensive! You probably paid fifty dollars for it!"
Later, we visited my Aunt Leslie.
Leslie: Mom told me about the lotions 'n stuff. You didn't need to do that.
Mom: She was degreasing herself!
Leslie: She spent 100$ gamblin' last week. She coulda got herself nice stuff, but she don't buy nice stuff.
Mom: Why doesn't she want nice things?!
Leslie: She wants nice things. It just don't occur to her that she can get 'em.
Mom has said that next time we're up here, we're getting grandma proper bath towels.
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