Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Walmart at Midnight

I am not a late night kind of gal.  When I was young I had to be in bed by 10pm so I believe that is my life curfew.  At 10pm I am in bed and usually sleeping.  However, last night the cold that was still lingering in my lungs was causing havoc.  I kept coughing and waking myself, my dogs, my partner and  probably the neighbors with my loud hacking.  I tried a spoonful of honey and hot tea and meditating but nothing worked.  Finally at 11:45pm I had had it.  I got up, put on some semi-presentable clothing and went to the one place in town that I knew would be open at this time of night--Walmart!

As I approached the gleaming blue sign I saw  dozens of RVs in the parking lot.  Yes, Walmart is an oasis for those who are traveling and like the sights, sounds and smells of automobiles, screaming children and gas fumes.  I actually had to drive around and through the ill parked RVs to find a parking space that was close to the store since I was in no mood to backpack through the parking lot.

I came through the one opened door in the front and was greeted by a guy who looked like he should be a poster child for "Stranger Danger".  Surprisingly the store was full of people wandering through the aisles with carts and kids full of groceries, dog food and things that I couldn't identify.  I had a moment of thinking that I was in a "B" movie and these shoppers were Zombies who could only come out at night, but then I returned to reality and hurried to the aisle with cough syrup. 

There was a guy in the aisle that was just staring at the cold medicines.  He didn't break his gaze even when I reached in front of him and said "excuse me"....I seriously considered going back today to see if he was still there.

Off to the cashier who reminded me of my abusive 5th grade teacher...she had that same kind of "killer stare" and she was all business.  No smile, no greeting, just a nod when the total rang up and then tossed the bag with my cough syrup at me.  My cough syrup had 1% alcohol in it and at this point, I was ready to rip it open and take a swig or two of it.

I started running out the door, past Stranger Danger greeter and the several families now entering the store with children in tow for a night time adventure at Wally World.  I was so glad to get home I kissed the driveway when I pulled in and went right to bed (after a few tablespoons of my cough syrup).

Walmart at Midnight in my town is quite an adventure, but I don't want to go back....