Holy Crap

One of the reasons we bought our house was that it was within walking distance to a little strip mall with a grocery store, pizza and Chinese restaurants, dry cleaner, card/candy store liquor store and drug store. As city dwellers, this appealed to us. We didn’t have to hop into the car if we needed milk or a fifth of gin. Now, the grocery store is closing on March 3rd.

This was my store. The first time I brought the babies anywhere other than the pediatricians’ office was a balmy February morning when I needed to get out of the house. I bundled them up, plopped them in the double stroller and walked them to the store. I used the basket under their seats for my groceries. The cashiers cooed over the babies. It became a regular ritual. I shopped there every day during my maternity leave. Afterward, I went there with the kids every Saturday. Our nanny took them there almost every day as well.

Now that they are older the kids walk there themselves and pick up whatever we need. They ride their bikes in the back parking lot, they walk the dog there. Every cashier, baker, deli guy in the store knows us. They can’t get into trouble because my kids are their kids too. They have been spoiled with cookies from Jenn, the baker who is also a substitute teacher in our school district. Deb the cashier knows my phone number and where we live. The manager knows my name.

I shopped there this past weekend stocking my pantry with discounted staples. I said goodbye to the deli lady who is retiring. I said goodbye to a piece of my neighborhood.