Tuesday, November 20, 2007

• Currently Reading How Walmart Is Destroying America And The World: And What You Can Do About It By Bill Quinn see related

  I thought something last night that I never thought I'd think.  Standing in the way-too-long, way-too-slow line at Albertsons, I thought to myself, "I wish I'd gone to WalMart."

  Now, those of you who have been around a while might remember the WalMart rants...my tirades about the injustice of self-check, oddly timed restocking, unchecked traffic...and I didn't even get to talk about the parking lots!  So you know that I hate WalMart.  I will avoid it at any cost.  I'll drag myself to around to Target, Albertsons and Walgreens to get everything I need at the price I want.  If you talk nicely to me, and show me the pretty colored Wednesday grocery ads ("look!  shiny!"), I might even trek across town to Safeway or Co-op for that specialty item that's on sale this week.

  Unless.

  If it's a day that I have the children with me.  Do y' honestly think I'm going to buckle and unbuckle three sets of car seats, load and unload children into and out of grocery carts, listen to and veto bids for useless/unhealthy items, and make it through the check-out line without caving and allowing "just one candy bar--you all have to share!"....just to do it all again at the next store, so I can save thirty-seven cents on a can of cream of mushroom? 

  Not happening, folks.

  So I do brave Wallie on those rare occasions when I have all three children, a grocery list "longer than my, well, it's long" (and can you place that quote?), and very limited time.  I've also been found skulking about in there trying to find those crafty type items that only WalMart carries, but again, I avoid those situations like my kids avoid broccoli.

  And yet, last night I stood in Albertson's with my gallon of whole and six yogurts wishing I'd hit the big box instead.  There were two lines open, with approximately 132 people in each.  I swear, the butcher thought the people were in line for him!  There was some sort of sale on Pepsi products, so each customer had a cart with five cases and perhaps a couple of extraneous items--you know, those things you see on your way to the beverage aisle and realize you really need...muffin mix and tangerines and a single frozen dinner...that sort of stuff.  And of the two lines open, only one was actually moving.  Random employees would walk by, skirting the increasingly discontented shoppers, and sort of wince, but not a one jumped into line to check anyone out. 

  I was in that line longer than it took to walk to the back of the store, find six yogurt flavors my children would like, ponder the milk prices and slink back to the front.  That jug of whole just about froze my hand before I got far enough up to set it on the belt, and then the cashier looked at me like I was rushing her.  By that time, yes, I was rushing her!  My sitter was probably filing a missing persons report as we glared at each other!

  I wish I'd gone to Wallie.

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