I don’t do much, so when I
go to the grocery, it’s like an “outing” for me. I sometimes engage with people and I
intentionally look for old, short or electric buggy people so I can help them
get something off the tall shelf.
I went to Meijer to get in
on their “10 for $10.00, 11th one Free” sale. Had to get my Diet Pepsi.
This time I was the one
who needed help. The shelf where the
Diet Pepsi is, was empty. I looked
behind me and they had stacks and stacks of it, in the plastic cartons they
bring into the store, but, there were stacks and stacks of other Pepsi drinks
on top of my Diet Pepsi.
I turned and saw a guy
loading up his cart with Coke. He had a
cammo TRUMP baseball cap on. He was
about my height, but he had a big torso—you know what I mean, a big tummy. I made a judgment that he had a bit of Red
Neck attitude so I knew, he’d be polite to an elderly woman.
“I like your hat,” I said.
He looked at me as if I
might be being sarcastic, I wasn’t. Then
I asked, “Could you help me? I need to
get at the Diet Pepsi, but it’s too heavy for me to lift those other cases off
it.”
“I’d be glad to Ma-am. How many bottles do you want?”
“Eight of the Diet Pepsi
and three of the De Café Diet.”
He proceeded to get the
other cartons off the top and, I could see him counting to himself as he put
what I had asked for, in my cart.
“Thank you so much,” I
said.
“You’re welcome.” He said.
A
man of few words. He didn’t ask if I
wanted more than eleven. He didn’t mention
anything political. He paid attention to
what I had asked him to do and he just did it.
I liked that.
Stopped in the dairy
department to get some milk. Along the
way, there was a lady in an electric buggy, trying to stand up and reach for
some lunch meat.
“May I help you get
something?” I asked.
“Oh, thank you so much
Honey, you’re so kind.”
“What would you like?”
“I’m getting bologna. My brother will only eat Oscar Meyer and he
will only eat the beef kind.”
So I reached up to get a
package.
“Now, is that thick cut?”
“Nope.”
“Oh, he has to have thick
cut.”
I found it and handed it
to her.
“Well, now, that’s too
much. Is there a smaller package?”
I didn’t see any so I told
her, “You can freeze it. Use some and
then put however many slices you need into those Ziploc bags and freeze it for
next time.”
She laughed and laughed.
Hm-mm.
“Did you see this mop I
had to get?”
“Yes.”
“My brother wanted this
kind of mop. He doesn’t do the mopping,
I do, but he told me to get this kind. I
don’t know why his daughter doesn’t come over and clean for us, but she don’t. I can barely walk, but it’s up to me to
clean.”
I am starting to ease
away, so she follows along, in her buggy, talking about how the kids won’t come
over and help…mow the lawn…clean the house.
“But they think they are
going to get everything when he dies.
Well, I have joint title to the house, so if he dies first, I can stay
there.”
By now we are up by the
bakery and I am trying to get to the check-out.
“They’ll probably try to
kick me out of the house. Dang kids
nowadays. They don’t have time to help—all too busy, but…..hanging like
Vultures over your head. Waiting for you
to die and then will come in and pick and take what they want.”
Then
she sort of veered off to where the bread is displayed. “Oh my.
I almost forgot to get his rye bread.
He’d sure be mad if I did. Thank
you, Honey. Bye. Bye.”
Whew. Okay, into the check-out lane. With my new Meijer charge card, I got $15.00
off my order! When I got gas, I got 0.10
a gallon off the Meijer gas.
It was quite an adventurous outing today!
