I will admit, I am the first to dis on the Wal-mart. In fact, let's be brutally honest, I HATE the fact that I have to shop at Wal-mart. And I HAVE to because of their prices on groceries. Especially now that time are tough everywhere, this is one of those areas that are non-negotiable with the Splenda Daddy.
So generally our Saturday trips to said Wal-mart, or Wally World, or Mexi-Mart, take your pick, are spent with much mocking on my part of the workers and my fellow shoppers. Much to Splenda Daddy's chagrin, I might add. I joke that you have to be missing teeth to be a certified checker there (or be a woman with a mustache), that in the summer the display of tits and tats is second to none (and they must be showing in your white t-shirt with black bra), and when ordering at the in-house McDonald's Spanish is a MUST (sin queso, sin queso, no con queso!)
HOWEVER......today I left with a slightly different feeling. We stood in the checkout line for, oh I don't know..AN HOUR, or so, and were beginning to get a little testy. Also, there is where Splenda Daddy dreads the wait time. All sorts of splurge buys jump into our cart there. Milk Duds, People magazine, Diet Dr Pepper, and the like.
We finally got our turn and there was the typical checker. However, this one did have all her teeth, no mustache, and while she did look like she just rolled in from the trailer park (of which I WOULD know), she was friendly and efficient. A helicopter sounded overhead and she commented that she loved the sound because it made her think of her husband. We get talking and come to find out, she is merely in Utah waiting for her husband to get home from Iraq. He's been deployed for the last several months out of Camp LeJune and since she didn't know anyone there, she came home to family until his return.
It hit me....guilt. Guilt! I am so judgmental! She's just a hardworkin gal who's lonely for her husband who, by the way, is out there freaking fighting for freedom! How dare I judge her! Shame on me.......
She finished our business, I wished her luck and left with a much different feeling. A feeling like, you know what, I really need to lay off with the snarky judgements for a bit. Her husband is a freakin marine (boo-yah), wearing a freakin flak jacket in the freakin hot desert, serving other people, all the while hoping he doesn't get shot or blown up. I get to go home with my husband to my son, granddaughter and fun dogs and no, I won't get blown up trying to do that. Respect for him and for my Wal-Mart checker Kira was riding high.
Good feeling, good feeling, good feeling......until we hit the parking lot and there on my right is a gal who had to be a double E at least RUNNING to the entrance. Good feeling gone, replaced with snarky judgement.
Oh well, it was good while it lasted!
However, for Kira? All snarky judgements withheld. Instead - Semper Fi!
