So my mother creates lots of lists.  She loves to make them.  And she leaves them out for me to see, or sometimes she hides them if she doesn't want me to know about them.  Recently she put Walgreens on her list.  If you're new here, then I will tell you, my mother is not allowed to go to Walgreens.  That store is her weakness.  She will beg for candy and buy $100 worth of random-ass items, which we cannot afford right now.  Though she's not allowed to eat candy, period.  She's diabetic and her blood sugar isn't under control very well (I am trying to get the docs to up her Metformin), but even if it was, all that sugary shit is why she's diabetic in the first place.  

Anyways, she thought she was going to be slick.  She thought she'd talk me into taking her there to get her flu and covid shots.  She asked, I said "You always go to the doctor to get your shots.  We never go there."  She replies "I prefer it there."  I said "You've never gotten one there, so how do you know?"  She says "Well, going to the doctor means I have to see the doctor."  And I said "No, you just see the nurse."  She said "But then you have to make an appointment and have to wait, blah blah blah.  At Walgreens, we can just go there."  I said "What's the difference to you?  You don't have to make the appointment.  Both ways you just walk in, get the shots, and leave.  So, what does it matter?"  She replies "I prefer it there."  Sigh.  So I said "You never used to get your flu shot, like at all. I had to force you to, mom.  So you've never once had it there.  I am not sure what's going on here."

She kept rambling some nonsensical stuff and then went to her room and said "Well, whichever you choose, both work!  I just want to get it done before it gets too late!" and shut her door.  

Here's the thing: I had NO idea what her plan was at that moment.  I literally was just thinking about getting shots.  My husband reminded me "Shay, your mom loves to spend tons of money at Walgreens, remember?  She's just trying to con you into going."  Then it all finally made sense.  

Of course she was.  

Duh.  

Because this all made zero sense to me, as she's never gotten shots there before (she's only ever gotten her covid shot from a doctor and I am pretty sure the same can be said about the flu shots I forced her to get).  So I just could not figure out why she was so adamant about going to Walgreens for this.  BUT, I will say, something did ding in my mind to tell me something was off.  Something told me "Do not agree to let her go!"  At the time, I didn't realize why my brain was telling me this, but deep down, I knew something was up.  And sure enough, I bet if I go look at her browser history, I will see her looking at Halloween candy at Walgreens LOL (and I checked, she did! haha!).  

Anyways, she has an appointment for bloodwork, so I am going to see if they can get her in for her vaccines, too, at the same time.  

Goes to show, even though your parent has been docile for a long time due to their failing memory and health, a narcissist will always take any opportunity to manipulate things to get their way.  Even though I prefer this stage of her life so far ;)  For now.