The First Grocery Store Trip

 So as the plague continues to recede, D1 and Joey took the little man to Publix this am, for his first time. I got a photo of him looking serious. Serious face is my grandson's default expression, which is of course adorable on a 17 month old. He was sitting in the big Publix simulated car atop the cart -- a vast improvement from the simple baby seats of the Ds' childhood.

The photo brought back a memory of a trip I took to the grocery store 40 years ago -- it was 1981. Barry and I were roommates, and Eric commuted, but spent most of his time in our apartment, and the three of us would often visit the Pantry Pride across from UM.

They made fun of me for good reason. I almost always bought only Lender's frozen bagels, American cheese, milk, oj, and fish sticks. I was lazy about cooking -- still am -- and those were staples I ate when I didn't go to the U's cafeterias or delivered in pizza or subs.

This one particular day, I had my staples bought and paid for, and got bored at the front of the store waiting for my friends. I noticed the microphone for the PA, and went over to it, picked it up, and announced "Attention Pantry Pride shoppers. Please note that a known homosexual, Barry G, is currently shopping in aisle 5."

The manager came over right away -- a Bill Macy in "Fargo" looking fellow, in a white short sleeved shirt and black tie, and said "Um, sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the store now." I looked down, and said "Yes, I understand," and walked out, joined soon by Eric and Barry and ensuing hilarious laughter.

It was, of course, literally a sophomoric prank (Barry was a freshman) but at the time, before political correctness, something we all found amazingly funny.

And so I wondered about my grandson. Would he have adventures with friends in grocery stores? Will they even be around when he gets older? Wifey and I, never big visitors to markets on account of we don't cook, will definitely keep using InstaCart even after the pandemic ends. We're lazy and not too picky about the groceries we buy -- InstaCart is a natural for us.

Ah -- that beautiful little man. As he grows, I plan on teaching him the same basic things I taught the Ds. First -- life is indeed NOT fair. Second, as D1 just reminded me via an interview she gave about being a health care leader, ALWAYS be a student of human nature.

And a third, which hit close this week with the sudden death of our friend Elizabeth: always live in the moment, and enjoy each moment.

I hope these lessons resonate with the little guy.

In the mean time, he had his first Publix visit. And we have the pictures to prove it.