Walmart
By Melli (2001/03/01)
Whenever I go to Walmart, I go people watching. I mean if I was a new immigrant to this country and wanted to see what America was made of, I would go to Walmart. You have rich people there trying desperately to save yet another dollar.You have the poorest of the poor there, just trying to scrounge up enough money for a bottle of shampoo. Then you have your middle class suburban family who is just on a typical Walmart outing with the kids , delighted to find EVERYTHING on sale, from the little ones diapers, to Dad's shaving cream (which Mom always uses up). Then of course you have your elderly population. You know who they are. They are either greeting you at the door directing you to the nearest empty shopping cart, always with a smile, or they are sitting in the Cafe Walmart (yes, that is what ours is called) getting repeated free refills on that tasteless coffee they serve there. Whenever I see them I get completely phobic over aging and death. Is this where my life is headed? Am I going to be reduced to roaming the nearest Walmart for companionship? For conversation? Will I retire from my wondrous career only to find myself finding endless joy in placing the Sunday circular in empty shopping carts?
As I observe those people in the Cafe, I notice something quite strange to me...They are all happy. Not one is frowning, not one is staring endlessly at nothing contemplating what happened in their life that led them to this. Do they wonder where their children are, or their grandchildren? Why don't they invite them over for dinner or for a nice game of yahtzee?No, they just sit there and laugh, content with the knowledge that they have a place to go where someone will always be, with a smile at the door. I think I will move somewhere where I can just sit and feed the ducks.
One other thing about our Walmart, they have an Optical store there. At
first I thought this was strange but then it seemed logical. Old people
equals bad eye sight. I am sure they are cashing in on this genius partnership.