Can We Escape Stores Forever? via LaurieJStone
– That’s right. I now have most of my groceries delivered by a local chain. For years my husband Randy tried to convince me to do this, but I fought him. “I want to pick out my own produce!” was always my argument. He’d roll his eyes. “But do you need to pick out your own package of Bounty paper towels or Cheerios? Get everything but produce!”
One day I found myself pushing a heavy metal cart through a soulless big box store for the third time that week. The cart was laden with kitty litter, laundry detergent, and cases of dog food. This is insane, I thought. That afternoon I started a delivery account. I began modestly, ordering the heavy, cumbersome stuff. Soon I added other fare, paper towels, disposable plates, toilet paper and napkins.
Within weeks I was throwing in cookies, bread, frozen pizza, crackers, and even chicken breasts. And yes one day, I summoned all my courage and ordered four tomatoes. And you know what? The store picked out better ones than I did. Once during the frigid winter I went completely rogue, adding flowers. The next day a delivery guy rang my bell, holding my bouquet of pink Stargazer lilies. “For you I assume,” he said with a smile. I smiled back. I could get used to this. And I have.— I have the attention span of a cranky four-year-old in department stores. That’s where they group items by designer. I start out hopeful. Here are tops, I say to myself, happily going through a rack.
The other day I went to Whole Foods and treated myself to a grocery bag of heaven – fat, juicy blueberries, handmade Provence lavender soap, organic chocolate, gooey Roquefort cheese, and crusty French bread. “Now this is why stores were invented,” I thought later, unpacking my stash, popping a piece of bread in my mouth.I gave a sigh of contentment. Even the cranky four-year-old was pleased.