They opened up a new grocery market in our neighborhood. A baby giant,
two stories of space,with parking sloping upstairs, taking up an entire city block,
Like casino's, megamarkets don't make
their money,and continue to expand, by cutting any great deals.
In most markets, the customer rarely gets market value for
their purchase.
I wasn't aware there were any more seasons than
summer, winter, spring or fall. I guess, seasons change, so you have 'New Seasons'
Not a weather forecast but a grocery store.
A family friendly store, with tables and chairs.
It's cafeteria style. No price war between them and the other
"family friendly," chain superstores.
Coupons spring up like fresh grass,
while you get a little bit less food for more.
I am still waiting for that grocery store customer service experience
where the clerks at check out are not positively elated to serve you. The best in that department
is Trader Joes.
Living here while we are still
able to afford it, in this boom town where over 300 new people each day, are arriving here
to put down roots
I have to work very hard so as not to become an old outdated season, with all this newness
enveloping me.
I traversed through the check out line, and was asked 'how are you'
"How are you", is not a complete sentence.
it's not a personal greeting, it's format, impersonal and non committal,
thus it's a tad annoying
followed by 'did you find everything you need?
No, I was looking for whale sperm but your store apparently ran out.
I heard the jail house key was in aisle three,
but apparently, I walked right around it.
unconvinced she had the slightest interest in my well being,
I answered her with my best "I am well, thanks,
and how are you feeling today?"
Very good was her response.So, first I get a sentence
fragment from her,and then an answer that doesn't make sense.
Since, very good isn't a feeling.
I reminded her, happy,sad, scattered,, hurt,rageful, angry, those are feelings.
she snapped back, defensively but, "I do feel fine. Daring me to feel her bicep.
I noticed her
posture shrink as her face blanched blotchy as she said this.
Resisting an urge to cop a feel of her firm fineness. .
What if I had touched her arm. Or her wrist? What then could I
surmise about her feelings? As much as I could tell by the
odd blinking of her eye,and the bead of
sweat now forming over her brow.
She had been, unmasked, poor dear, for being out of touch with her feelings.
Sensing blood, and in a jousting mood
I went in further for the kill.
I asked her how often she suffered from
not expressing her feelings? She said, she has
ups and downs. Again, ups and downs aren't feelings...
I felt a sense of accomplishment having squeezed any kind of
dialogue from Check-out Barbie, no easy feat,
in the express check out line where I purchased one item.
I reaffirmed how stuffing her feeling is nothing to take lightly..
I could almost see her synapses firing off in between her heated
prep school ears
I was doing my best to get to her.
Weren't ups and downs more of a physical exercise than a feeling,
You can get a handle on up's and downs, when discussing: pills, sex, or pull ups.
I consider myself a semi-professional provacateur.
My pleasure, and my duty
to proudly represent paying customers everywhere being over
charged for checked out check out clerks at "New Seasons."
After all, everyone knows,there are actually only four seasons.
There are not any more new ones. So, how do you work there and not question these truths.
reasons reasons, for new seasons 'earth wind and fire'
My season is a season of struggle, conflict, poverty, living hand to mouth.
Yes, the next time I go to "New Seasons," I am going to order 5 pounds of sliced smoked
turkey at 13 dollars a half pound, and proudly stuff it under my winter coat, march
boldy out the store and
skip the middle man or in this case
middle chick..
I should feel grateful for my good fortune
privy to the myriad of choices I have available at my fingertips
How lucky I am to live where if I work hard enough, I can have any
feeling deprived check out person I want.
Just get in their line. Everything but.
the jail house key and whale sperm.
Maybe I'm a bad machine.
An evil clown
for understanding shoplifters who can't face these clerks.
Bypassing the hassle, embarrassment and falsity of their banal chit chat
and meaningless encounters. II've often wondered if wage slaves
really care about their stores?
I could have my groceries delivered and have
the butler deal with them. But, I don't have a butler. Nor, is it looking like one
is forthcoming in the near or far future. But, fortunes change.
To be fair and honest, a cashier has to
deal with customer after customer
While more work is thrown at them
I was unfair with her. I was a troublesome customer.
If there was a button she could have pushed to call the goon squad,she would be well within her rights to
push the goon squad button on me. Be a witness at my trial.
Aren't shoplifters doing overworked clerks a favor?
It's no wonder they seem mentally a million
miles away from their pods, thinking about their smoke
breaks and how much take home pay they will have this week,
with the overtime they have run up.
The secret password has become workaholic,
Work until you drop. Work can kill you.
The strain of making just enough to squeeze by
even with more and more burdensome overtime hours/
Freely given.
They may have sinister plans on
how they might pay back
their employers for exhausting,
their life force. Soaked up like human gravy on sweet bread.
They call me a consumer, a useless eater
She stocks shelves
I wonder if and how much her employer
really gives a rat's ass about their stock clerks
Why do I write this? Why do I care?
She may be thinking
about sneaking out her pound of
thinly sliced overpriced ham like I have thought about doing.
My constitutional right to offend stops at your nose.
I hear this ringing in my ears, like some absolute
voice of reason. But, societies nose seems to have gotten bigger, more
intrusive. I am the new Pinnochio. Yay. Rah...
What I really wanted to say to the cheerleader boy toy
check out girl,
was since I'm paying your cashier salary
with these unholy high prices
how about meeting with me after work
and I'll show you my price lock guarantee.