Val Misses Paying Exorbitant Prices for Expired Foodstuffs

It has been 11 days since Country Mart closed for remodeling. I am sorely missing this establishment. I was in there every day to get my $3 scratchers out of their two lottery machines. Two or three times a week for bananas, and of course other items I felt like I needed since I was already there.

It behooved the buyer to beware while shopping in Country Mart. If you weren't careful, you'd find yourself at home, putting away goods that you noticed were EXPIRED! I had learned to take my glasses, and inspect the dates on every item before putting it in my cart/walker for purchase.

The prices were higher than those at Save A Lot and Walmart. But it was convenient to have parking spaces where I could guarantee that my door would not be blocked upon return. Also that I didn't have to hike the equivalent of the Appalachian Trail to gather groceries.

Well. Last week, I went to the Country Mart over in Sis-Town. It has two lottery machines, and the same stuff as the closed one. I did not notice any expired items, but then again, I didn't buy much. Mainly just the fried chicken dark meat Monday special and bananas and a 3-pack of Puffs With Lotion. It was not a rewarding experience. I hate new things.

Yesterday, I ventured into Save A Lot for my bananas. I made sure to go before the prison shift ended at 3:00, sending workers shooting out of their parking lot like crazed crackheads merging onto the autobahn. Imagine my surprise when those vehicles were already barreling at T-Hoe's side at 2:45! I guess some workers got off early for good behavior! Note-to-self: go shopping at 2:00 next time.

I found a parking spot facing Save A Lot. They have one long row of parking down the whole front of that mini mall that includes a Subway on one end, and a Dollar Store on the other. It's not nearly enough parking. All the spaces closest to the stores were taken, so I looped round to the opposite side. There were cars on both sides of T-Hoe. I could get the door open fully, because there was a tiny compact car on my left. Of course when I came out, a big pickup was there. So I could only get the door open one notch and a half. Which meant I had to hold onto the door while trying to wiggle my ample rumpus and unbendable knees back in.

Anyhoo...  here's the thing. No sooner had I pushed a cart/walker inside than people rushed in like the running of the bulls at Pamplona. I got trapped by the banana table while people just KEPT coming in, pushing their carts, forming a solid line from the bread racks, past the potatoes and onions, curving past the fruits and lettuces and corn, down the special sale shelves to the cheeses. I felt like I was on the infield at a NASCAR event, or perhaps a leg of the Triple Crown.

To make matters worse, it was apparently TRUCK DAY, and every employee save two were busy doing nothing but standing next to piled pallets of merchandise, casually chatting about how much work they had to do. It was enough to drive a teetotaler to drink! Which, by the way, would have been convenient, since Save A Lot NOW SELLS ALCOHOL! Not by the drink, but by the bottle. Never thought I'd see that happen. 

Anyhoo... I was still trying to navigate around the non-workers while the throngs started checking out. So there was only one customer ahead of me by the time I was ready. My checker was talking over her shoulder to the other checker.

"I know! It's been like this every day since Country Mart closed. The afternoon rush!"

Had I not just experienced it for myself, I might have thought they were full of bull. Country Mart never looked busy when I was there at this time. But somehow all those people had showed up at once. They weren't dressed like prison workers. And they weren't towing kids like will happen when school starts later in the week.

Looks like I'm going to have to start getting up early to avoid the crowds.