Recreational shoppers are easy to spot. They touch things. They pull clothes off racks and hold them up in front of them. They know what everything costs and what is in stock at most any store in a given shopping district.

These shoppers don't necessarily buy anything, but they have done their homework in the event they need to buy something. They know where to go, what selection awaits them and how much it will cost, including tax.

Then there are people like me. I am a destination shopper. I have a list of things I need to purchase. I go to stores most likely to stock the things on the list. Sometimes I get lucky, more often not.

Before I leave home, I plan a route. I know which store is my first stop. I plan so I don't have to make daring traffic maneuvers. I hate multi-lane turns and no traffic light. I drive like an old lady and did long before I became one.

At my first stop, I discover the list is missing. It is home on the coffee table, where I wish my feet were (connected, of course, to the rest of me). I try to recreate the list. I get four out of eight things in a general way.

I need light bulbs. I can't remember the sizes. I can remember the light bulbs were number six on the list. I can't remember what five or seven was.

Once I've managed to make a new list, I head for the store, grab a buggy and start to work on the list. It's usually in the car. I start mentally rebuilding the second list and remember what five and seven were on the first list.

I walk by lamps and remember light bulbs. The light bulbs, of course, are not stocked near the lamps. I don't have a pencil or paper, so I put a lamp in my buggy to help me remember.

Following my new method, I soon have a lamp to remember light bulbs, towels to remember soap and a bag of potting soil to remember a broom. When I finally find the soap and light bulbs and brooms, I have to balance them on top of the buggy while I make my way through the store to put all the other stuff back on the shelf.

I could just leave everything on the first available space I see. Shoppers do it all the time, leaving eggs they don't want in the toilet tissue aisle or a dress over in housewares. I might not put my own shoes in the closet, but I won't leave a retailer's in linens.

I'm whooped. I never make it to store number two. I can't even remember what store number two was. I do discover that I somehow managed to purchase one out of four things on the second list. I won't know about the first until I get home.

I make it home and unload my purchases, head to the coffee table and pick up my list — towels, potting soil, lamp. Hmmm.