Blame the lady spy

By Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Sometimes when I go grocery shopping, I spy on other people's carts, just to see what they are buying. I'm not sure why I do this. But it's likely my innate curiosity about people and life in general.

Take for instance the last time I shopped. Two bags of generic cat food burdened the bottom of one man's cart. Not too difficult to conclude that the guy probably had more than one cat and that he was on a tight budget, was money-conscious and/or his cats weren't picky eaters.

Another time, I saw a young dad pushing one of those obnoxiously huge car-shaped carts with his son at the wheel. I hate those aisle-hogging vehicles. Stacks of bagged hamburger buns perched precariously inside his cart. As we stood side-by-side in front of the beans, I couldn't help but comment, "Looks like you're having a party."

"Yup, a birthday party," he said, glancing at his shopping list.

"Oh, your wife sent you out to pick up a few things," I responded.

"Yeah," he said, "I wonder if these are the right beans?" He selected a small
can of Van Camp's pork and beans.

"What is she making?" I asked.

"Calico beans," he answered.

"Yeah, those are probably right," I said, grabbing my own can of beans and continuing on my way.

Two aisles later, the young dad stopped me. "Excuse me," he said. "Do you know where I would find Lipton onion soup mix? Is it in a can?"

"No, it's a dry mix and comes in a box," I said, leading him to the selection of dried soups. I think I might possibly have saved the day for him.

This isn't the first time I've rescued a shopper. Shorter women sometimes ask me to reach an item on a top shelf. At 5-feet-8½-inches tall, I am glad to assist. But once I also helped a 20-something guy and his little brother. Not because they couldn't reach the product, but because they knew nothing about molasses. Their mom had sent the pair on an errand to buy several items. I selected the Brer Rabbit full flavor molasses that I usually purchase, handed the bottle to the older brother and said, "Blame the lady at the store if it's the wrong thing."