Tears on Senior Citizen Tuesday
We don't get out much. Much to no one's surprise, we have abandoned our always-on-the-go lifestyle and adapted a stay-at-home-at-all-cost lifestyle. Lucky for us there is online shopping, curbside delivery for take out and grocery store pick-ups. We truly don't have to get out of the car. As long as, I ignore the three year old in the back seat begging to go into the restaurant or store, we are totally fine!
At the beginning of the summer, I caved to that three year old in the back seat and decided, YES we can go in the grocery store. Kroger and Sam's are one of the few places that accommodate to people with more than one kid. So I figured a trip to Kroger should be relatively easy with the help of the "car buggy." AND it was ... until Elle stole the powdered donuts I told she couldn't have. She was so proud that she cleverly tucked them next to her in the passenger seat of the car buggy and snuck them out. I promptly took her back in and made her apologize for taking them. On the ride home, I realized I couldn't be mad because we had never taken her INSIDE the grocery store. It became my mission this summer to expose my children to the mundane parts of life. How could I expect them to behavior properly in public, if they were never exposed to it.
Which brings me to, today. I strategically arrived at Kroger on Senior Citizen Tuesday (If you've been a longtime reader, you know that Senior Citizen Tuesday reduced me to tears 6 years ago because I thought Hot Springs only inhibited Senior Citizens.) Tuesday is now my favorite day because I can guarantee the car buggy will be free! The stars were not aligned because there was absolutely NO car buggies today. We were forced to use a regular buggy. I put Elle in the seat, knowing that Livi and Lucy would fight over who got to sit in the actual buggy. We made it work, we got our free banana right when we walked in, which lasted through the produce section. Then we arrived at the deli section, our favorite bakers gave the girls a cookie, by now everyone knows the girls, and everyone is extremely friendly. Livi inhaled her cookie and started standing up. If I told her once, I told her a thousand times to SIT DOWN. Once Livi started standing up, like any good sister, Lucy followed. If anyone watched me for more than 60 seconds, they knew I was struggling to keep the girls seated, and I really couldn't fault them because as I added more and more groceries to my buggy there was less and less room to sit.
As we left the meat section (no one gives anything free away in the meat section so usually this is when our adventure goes down hill.) I turned onto isle 7 a man in street clothes starts yelling, "Ma'am! Ma'am! I'm going to have to ask you to make them sit down. They could fall and it's a liability. You NEED to make them sit down."
I smiled ... I'm confident it wasn't my friendliest smile, and politely said, "I'm trying."
He proceeds to tell me, "I have a two year old and she likes to ride standing on the front. It's dangerous. She could fall and bust her head open. I don't really work for Kroger, I'm just a rep. They told me to talk to you because they can't tell you to have them sit down."
More smiles ... no words ... many thoughts, Really you have a two year old who you can easily strap in the buggy, and yet she is hanging off the front of the buggy. Maybe you should have some grace on the lady with 3 under 3 who has managed to keep them contained in the buggy all the while carrying a carton of 18 eggs because she knows they will break if they enter the buggy.
My new friend continues to correct me for them standing up.
Finally, I break my silence and say, "There wasn't a car buggy that could house everyone. I'm trying to keep them seated." I start rolling away.
He continues, "Yeah, just make sure you keep them seated. Hey little girl how old are you?" - Then chatter about August birthdays ensues. All I could think was, These girls are ticking time bombs and you've already lectured me for them standing up, so why on earth are you trying to hold me up by talking about August birthdays.
Needless to say, for the second time in my life I wanted to cry in Kroger on Senior Citizen Tuesday. I'm hopeful he meant well, and I completely agreed with them, they shouldn't stand up. I just wish instead of a lecture, he or whoever sent him over to me had taken the intuitive to ask if they could help or find the car buggy. Instead of eagerly awaiting an opportunity to correct someone, let's be eager to help people.