Geographical Karma

How can the tragedy of a few scarring experiences taint your opinion of a place forever?

My friend recently explained to me that she refuses to shop at Kroger and avoids going there at all costs.

Kroger!? I practically live there! Not only is it nearly walking distance from our house, but they have improved their organic and natural food section to encompass nearly two aisles. Usually things work out fine when I shop there.

She related to me a number of horror stories that included turkey blood down the front of a white blouse and another about being pinned under a shopping cart with a broken leg in the parking lot with her children in the buggy and no one helping her. **GASP!** It doesn't get much worse than that. She concluded that it must be written in the stars that Kroger is not meant for her. She shops at Publix.

This all got me wondering. How many people have places that they have sworn to avoid after a barrage of catastrophes? Is there some sort of geographical karma at work in the world?

As for us, the only place we avoid is Chuck-E-Cheese. Every time we go there the kids get sick a few days later. I honestly thought it was the same for everyone. Perhaps cosmic forces are at work, or maybe someone just needs to Lysol those play tubes.