AM. Sunday December 20th. I am back home from Walmart! As you may recall from “My Walmart Moment Part 1, which I posted a week ago, last Sunday at about this same time I was about to have one of my worst public outbursts ever. Thankfully today was alot different.
Like many weekend days I planned to go to the store which I like to do early. No set time, just whenever I wake up, which is usually before everyone else in my household. I prefer to be at the store no later than 8am. Well, I stayed up a little later last night listening to music so I think I fell asleep around 2:30am. Simple math tells me that I had just five and a half hours to sleep if I wanted to be “on time”. Guess what?
Woke up at a little late at 7:34. My “passenger” from last week had “expressed interest” in wanting to tag along again this week. I tell her the time and she responds by asking, and I quote, is the store gonna be open? I politely “remind” her that she does not have to go with me if she has nothing to buy. She could simply call me if she needed me to pick up something while I was there. She did not respond, did not move, did not motion. That’s fine. Ok.
I arrive at the store a little after 8am. I knew from the moment I saw the parking lot: “Today Was Gonna Be a Good Day”. A few cars. Not much foot traffic. “This Christmas” by Donnie Hathaway was blaring from Walmart’s outdoor PA speakers. No joke!
I exit the car. Zip my coat and “pop” the collar. Take a real deep breath. Smile confidently. Mask up and cap visor down. Rhythmically stride to the music as if I’m happy to be at a store this early on a SUNDAY. Was greeted with “Good Mornings” and “Merry Christmases” from friendly employees and customers alike upon entering. And get this, without any solicitation from me a store stock person volunteered to retrieve any item from the back that I did not see on the shelves. Try THAT after 9am…..
With items in the cart I proceed to the self-checkout lane. Lo and behold, I walk right to a register. No lines to speak of. No anxiety, no heavy breathing or no F-words at all. Just more friendly 8am people. My people. Not once did I think about or notice the time at all.
I arrive back home and walk through the door. As I set the bags down I notice the time on the clock pictured here. Surprised, I smile and think to myself, “NOW THATS WHAT I’M TALKIN ‘BOUT! Home by 8:34, just about the time I LEFT to go to the store last week! Just out of curiosity I went to check on my “passenger”. Can you guess where she was? You are exactly right.
I prefer the 8am “Walmart Moments”. As I’ve learned it gets “real” after 9. Happy shopping…..
The Real Life Corner 