The various brands and flavours offered at supermarkets can leave us spoiled for choice at the best of times, but after 12 years behind bars one ex-convict found himself overwhelmed by having to make a decision.
Some people have their staples when stocking up the treat cupboard, opting religiously for salt and vinegar Kettle Chips or bags of Maltesers, but others like to mix things up and take advantage of all the different available options.
Advert
In the mood for chocolate? Do you want Dairy Milk or Galaxy? Kinder Bueno? Terry's Chocolate Orange? Aldi's own? It can be overwhelming even if you're faced with it every day, let alone if it's a sudden change from what you're used to.
Michael Capers, who goes by the handle @social_wellness, took to TikTok last month to share his own shopping experience after spending 12 years in prison, describing shopping as 'too much' as he panned the camera across bags and bags of different crisps.
The clip has racked up more than 800,000 views and dozens of comments from users, one of whom sympathised with Capers as they said it had to be 'overwhelming' to have 'so many choices to make and all better than what you had'.
In response to the commenter, Capers explained he was used to the prison commissary, which listed its items on a piece of paper, 'one page front and back with most of the items not being food'.
Advert
The TikToker added: "This one isle had more food than the whole commissary."
Capers also received support from another former inmate, who responded to the clip to say it took them '5 years' to feel truly free after being let out of prison, adding that they still have to isolate sometimes, but promising Capers 'it'll get better'.
Capers replied to suggest inmates should go through a '1-2 year decarceration phase', saying: "It would make life so much easier when we get back home!"
Other commenters suggested Capers make a list to help him deal with all of the choices, and though he admitted the initial experience was 'overwhelming' he later added a comment to say he has learned to 'embrace the agency [he has] to choose'.
Advert
The TikTok user has since shared follow-up videos talking about his experience behind bars, saying he was sentenced when he was 16 years old after being convicted for possession of a weapon and that he doesn't want to let the sentence 'define' him.
Topics: Food And Drink, TikTok, Viral
Emily Brown