As a kid, I remember going to Ralph's, a corner grocery story halfway between our house and my great-grandmother's. He (there actually was a Ralph) had this one little miniature grocery cart that I prayed would be there each time we went. My mom would let me push it around, filling it with food as we went up and down the aisles.
When I was a young wife, going to the grocery for the very first time, I wasn't sure if I needed all-purpose or self-rising flour. And sugar, if you don't drink coffee or bake, does anyone really need 5 pounds of the stuff. I think it took me about three years to stock our pantry with at least the basics one needs to run a semi-functioning kitchen. Seriously, someone needs to write a book about this.
I pushed two carts when Sam, Carly and Will were babies. I guess technically I pushed one and pulled one. I know when the twins were finally weaned to whole milk I bought 4 gallons of the stuff at one time. The carts were full of bananas and applesauce, peanut butter, oatmeal, crackers, grape juice, carrots and sweet potatoes, yogurt and cottage cheese. Anyone with any sense could tell I was a mom trying to do the right thing just by looking at my cart. (Of course, I also bought a stash of diet pepsi and snickers candy bars, but that's another story.)
Nowadays, I'm more of a grocery observer than an active participant. I like the women who come into the grocery with the high heels right after work. They almost always choose a handheld basket and go straight to the deli. The guys on Friday nights with their kids in tow usually have a basket full of Frosted Flakes and chicken nuggets. Then there's the coupon queen her wallet full of 50% off and buy one get one free. The grocery is usually crowded at the first of the month with the older set pushing their carts, usually in the middle of the aisle. Then there's the person with a cart full of frozen dinners and individual cat food cans that I can't help but feel sorry for even though I have no idea if what she is buying is even for her.
A few years ago my grocery habits became very predictable. I stopped at the store almost daily, chose a basket and quickly placed a diet pepsi, a box of laxatives, a container of razor blades, a bottle of robutussin and a box of Wheat Thins into it. I tried to go through the self-serve lane or choose one where the clerk seemed oblivious. I thought I was super slick, but I'm sure someone felt worse for me than I do the cat lady.
Then, I moved onto Ensure and Boost. All I needed to buy then was the protective adult diapers right next to the supplements and anyone would have thought I had an elderly loved one at home. But the fact remained that I didn't. Even with the Ensure, I usually bought an occasional box of laxatives or over-the-counter sleep aid. I hoped the clerk thought I now had a constipated, insomniac I was caring for.
Thankfully, things continue to change in my grocery cart as well as in my life.
Last evening, Will went with me to Kroger. I searched for the smaller cart while he suggested one of the many larger carts available. When I smiled and said, "Not yet," he gently put his arm around my neck. Grinning, he said, "You're crazy, you know?" No need to answer.
Over the next few minutes, we placed grapes and banana nut muffins into my cart. We picked up roast beef, whole wheat bread, bagels, and orange juice. We got a bone for Grace and Gatorade for Will. We even got strawberry poptarts with icing. As we checked out, I looked the clerk and bagger in the eyes and wished them a nice evening. I'm sure they thought I was just a boring mom with a great big dog. You really can tell a lot about a person just by looking in their cart.
