SHOPPING CAN BE AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE

One of my first paying jobs that took out taxes and social security had been in a grocery store.  I was still in high school at the time.  Believe me being a checker/cashier back then not like in today’s world, but this will be a future blog.

One thing I recall is how the stock boys would have to go out into the parking lot to retrieve the shopping carts left helter-skelter by the customers.  People, then and now, leave their shopping carts helter-skelter around the parking lot.  Today I could not get into three different parking spots because shopping carts took up the spaces. 

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Many of the stores have two, three and sometimes four areas to place the cart in the parking lot.  Still people are still too lazy to place the carts into the designated area.  This is one of my biggest pet peeves.  It makes me understand why one store actually makes you pay a quarter to use the cart. 

Not sure about you, but I like this idea.  You put a quarter into a slot, take the care inside the store to do your shopping, then after you are done with the cart you put it back to get the quarter.  I carry a quarter in my car at all times just for this purpose. 

When I lived in Pennsylvania we had such a place.  A few years ago this chain of stores came to Florida.  How happy I was to see them here in the Sunshine State.

One of the best stories about the opening of this store here in Florida had to be the couple who refused to put in their quarter for the cart.  The wife told the husband that she felt she should not have to pay to use a cart to shop.  I explained she’ll get the quarter back, but she glared at me like I had two heads.  I heard her tell her husband we’ll just get a hand basket inside.  I did not have the heart to tell her they had no carry baskets. Well the husband ended up carrying their items around the store like a pack mule.  They happen to get into the check out line behind me and she had the nerve to ask if she could go ahead of me as they had so much stuff they could barely hold on to it.  I smiled and said NO. Now I am not a mean person but if you are too cheap to put in a quarter for a cart you can stand there and wait your turn.

So today at the grocery store, I finally found a parking spot and did my shopping.  I returned the cart to the designated area which was only three spots from where I parked.  The lazy individual next to me left their cart in the empty spot next to their car.  There could be a new career as grocery store parking lot police.  Drive around in a golf cart fining people who don’t return their shopping cart to the designated area.

Until next time…please return your cart to the designated area so the cart police don’t fine you.