It’s a fact of Life that whether we’re talking about dogs, children, plants, chocolates, or paintings, we can usually squeeze in just “one more”.
In my case today it’s a little bit more complex. One of our destinations of choice is Costco, our local “big-box” store, which deals in furniture, plants, office equipment, liquor, electronics and TV’s, and oh yes, groceries.
We fill the larder every week or so from the careful list I keep on hand. I am an organized shopper, and on the Costco day, we try to visit Trader Joe’s, Safeway and maybe one more additional store to complete the list.
Costco is quite large, and Dr. Advice gets his exercise by pushing my wheelchair up and down each aisle while I give him orders about what to put in the small basket attached to the store-owned wheelchair with the 14″ x 24″ basket in the front. “Turn left here. No! Not right, the peanut butter is left, and if you push me up that aisle I think the ravioli are in one of those cases.” The basket fills up fast, and things like the peanut butter, eggs, orange juice, large paper napkins, oatmeal, etc. begin filling my lap and snuggling up next to my hips.
By this time, the groceries are piled over my head in front, and I can’t see in front of me. The list has been filled but at this point, I invariably say “We aren’t through yet, there’s room for just one more thing.”
Dr. Advice is very polite, and this wheelchair is very long, so it is hard to judge just who may be coming around the corner, and try not to bump into them. We live in a very ethnically diversified community, composed of many Silicon Valley tech people from other countries, some of whom do not speak English as yet. I am smiling widely to show that we did not mean to hit their basket, and Dr. Advice is apologizing and telling the ladies how nice they look, or admiring the many cute babies and children running loose with them. They are all very understanding and sometimes even help us get a place in the long lines formed at the check stands.
You can build up an appetite shopping like this, so after running my debit card through the machine, I say, “I’m tired, find us a place to sit if you can, and I’ll get in line for a hot dog.” It works for me!
Pachofa-Unfinished 
Yes, shopping is a subject close to my heart and to yours as well. It has so many opportunities to observe mankind on the move and their shopping habits. I always pick up other peoples shopping lists and most curious about their choices for food.
I hope you are well with having undergone such a large operation. I like your style of writing. It is somewhat laconic and with a delicious sense of humor. I always look forward to your next offering.
What mustard with your hot-dog? Dijon or American?
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Thanks Gerard. I am quite well as far as my arm goes. I can swing it around as well as ever, but my problem lies in my legs for which here doesn’t seem to be much hope of improvement. I think sports, dancing, horses, skiing and running finished them off. Or maybe old age has a little to do with it! However, I also think canes are quite sexy. No?
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Yes, canes are sexy. Do you use it to keep Dr Advice in line 🙂 No matter your age, you are still young. Enjoy the week-end.
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My late father-in-law had polio as a child, and used is cane to hook the kids as they went by him, and conned them into getting him a beer from the fridge. I don’t do anything so drastic, but it since I am so short, it helps me fetch things off upper shelves.
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My computer, an HP and a gift for Mother’s Day, four years ago, was purchased by my daughter at Costco in Austin, Texas. I absolutely love the tech support for my computer. The agents and the supers are “super smart” and very kind. I really liked your shopping story and your writing style.
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My – it sounds as though you’ve had rather a time of it. It’s certainly good that you have someone to run interference for you at the grocery with smiles and politeness.
It’s not often I hear a reference to polio these days. I know one blogger who had the disease as a child (though she wasn’t much affected by it) and I remember getting our vaccine on sugar cubes in grade school. Those were the years when the swimming pools were closed once or twice because of outbreaks. Vaccines truly are a miracle.
I smiled so at your grocery story, and thought you might enjoy my tale of having a great trick played on me by a couple of high-school girls when I was shopping. Truth to tell, I enjoyed reading it again myself. You can find it here.
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Loved your grocery store adventure. I’ll bet those kids had a lot to talk about that night at the dinner table. Yes, my father =-in-law had polio when he was 11. I just over-used my feet and legs and it finally caught up with me! Better than polio any day though!
You must be in your 60’s. I remember the sugar cubes I made my kids take. It seemed to do the trick. We don’t hear of it mush today.
The camp story was wonderful. Makes you want to be there. You tell it so well. I’m eager to read Cowgirl Up and I’ll tell you why after I read it. I love your writing!
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