the grocery game

it is not often that i go grocery shopping alone. i now require the massive, semi-truck style grocery cart. the cart that only makes wide right turns, cannot fit through the isle when opposing traffic is present, and should require a beeping noise when going in reverse. so, when it was just elliott accompanying me to the store today i was thrilled.

we arrived at the store got set up with a normal cart and were on our way. elliott was such a great shopping companion. he was pointing out the balls, anything that was hot, and every familiar thing he saw. with each new person he saw he would wave and say, "ha", and much to my surprise everyone was so pleasant and saying hi in return. this was supposed to be the meijer that i did not like. the meijer that is known around the community by a not so affectionate name. the meijer that was always running out of items that are on sale and always congested with people who are taking their sweet ole' time. and i cannot believe that i am saying this, but our twenty-five minute wait in the check-out lane was wonderful. elloitt was making friends with the customers in front of us, in back of us and, even the ones in different lanes. he was giving people high-fives and shaking their hands. on our way to the car i realized that for the first time in a long time, i did not have a panic attack in the check-out line. by the time i check out at the nicer meijer stores i am sweating, feeling dizzy and quite frankly pissed and the bitter woman behind me who is annoyed by my children trying to say hi.

lately my stereotyping walls have been breaking down a little bit. i am realizing that diversity is good and that much can be learned from a community that is vastly different from the community i grew up in. maybe, we will start shopping at this meijer more often and even make up a better name for it. i know both elliott and i left the grocery store smiling. that hasn't happened in a long time.