Groceries

When encountering a snow-covered parking lot after having given an arm and a leg for groceries, people react different ways. Some power through the snow pushing their baskets, willing to risk getting stuck for the convenience of not having to break the arm they have left under the weight of their purchases. Others load up their arms with their purchases, not wanting to try to push the basket through all of the slush in the parking lot, and instead risk slipping and falling on their newly purchased eggs. Yet others forget where they park and push their basket all the way across the parking lot through a steady snowstorm, wearing 3 inch heels, feeling like a total idiot. I won't mention any names. Please use your imagination with this picture. Paint can only do so much.

You seriously could have followed my tracks across the parking lot from one door to where my car was parked in front of the other door. My basket made nice little tracks in the snow, begging others to follow along on my little adventure. As soon as I stepped into the parking lot, I knew that I was on the wrong side, but refused to turn around and walk back through the store to the other side. I just straightened my back (muttered to myself, "Wow, this is dumb" and then realized that talking to myself would not help my idiot image) and powered across that parking lot like I really meant to take a nice jaunt in my shoes that were killing my feet. No matter that it was snowing (a lot!). Us North Idaho women can handle that snow. It was just like a summer day! Not. You see where I turned in the picture? I was getting tired of looking lost, so I desperately picked a random aisle that I knew had to be getting close to where my car was. The X marks the spot where my basket got stuck and I had to go from pulling it to pushing it. It was delightful. Talk about a sigh of relief when I finally spotted my car.

Elderly people in my life, I apologize for all of my condescending thoughts that I have ever thought about you losing your car. I really didn't think this could happen to me. I think God knew that I really needed to be humbled this week. I will be more understanding in the future. And I will try not to be talking on my phone when I park my car, so that I am not distracted from imprinting in my mind the location of my car. I have a new respect for large parking lots. Tricky things.