Another day shopping for the same goods … the same Saturday prep for the same Sunday flea market business. Sunday business I am so thankful- after thirteen years – earned in a field off Charger Highway in Newry, Pa.
Thanks to Walmart, I observe the same people, dazed, confused, (some) half-dressed in tightly fitted, inappropriate yoga pants, (most) wondering the same thing: “Why the hell am I here on a beautiful Satuday in September…parked 100 spaces away because of the call-in-reserve-orange-covered spaces and all the closely guarded occupied locations (spaces) heavily fortified by cars sitting in illegal lanes waiting for the apocalypse to remove said parked cars.
Anyway, I digress
Back to my observation. Inside, I noticed an older gentleman ahead of me as I walked through the snack aisle….NOT looking for snacks (although, oreos CAN be tempting) …just passing through on my way to buy Sriracha Sauce. Behind this gentle man was a slightly smaller lady- assumed to be his wife – pushing the cart. (No need to ask why SHE was pushing the cart – husband code requires such…insert sarcasm emoji here). Contents of the cart were minimal.
A series of curious, but predictable events unfolded before my eyes. Events reminiscent of my (much) earlier years as a pre-teen shopping with mom. Twinges of sadness, memories, and joy in a snack aisle are almost unheard of at Walmart. However, combine a fifty-ish year old man, an elderly couple shuffling along a food lane at Walmart, and wonderful memories of a loving mother, it’s a recipe for a good Saturday in September.
As I observed: Simply stated – as he reached for a snack on the shelf (probably knowing the answer), a silent glance back in her direction and a gentile, loving, unspoken “no” nod back communicated, to me, everything about their relationship. It happened only twice, but I suspect it’s been this way for a long time…which is why they are still side by side at Walmart…shopping together.
He shrugged his shoulders, looked at her, smiled slightly, a small twinkle from the corner of his eye probably found her heart … and they moved on.
Most if us have (or had) someone like this in our lives. I had mom. Only difference? She would have smiled and said, “Sure, put those Oreos in there … they make you happy. Enjoy!”
DougHugs 