cultural spills on aisle 1

Walmart is a blogger's Fort Knox.

That is what I told my brother as we were on our way out of the Bend store yesterday.  I seem to find something literary every time I set foot in the place.

Darrel, Mom, and I were on one of those multi-task missions I could never experience in Mexico.  Down south, I can usually get one or two items accomplished on my outings.  Maybe three.

Up here, there appears to be no limit.  And that may be one reason why everyone seems so frantic.  As if time could be increased by speeding up activity.

Mom has been experiencing some unusual loss of minutes on her mobile telephone over the past 3 months.  So, we were off to AT&T to talk with a young woman who knew what customer service is.  Cheerful.  Helpful.  Informative.  She really lifted my spirit concerning American enterprise. 

I would be remiss not to point out that she was an immigrant.  Too often in the debate about borders, we forget that talented, resourceful people like her are the hope of America's future.

The weathermen (the type who predict weather, not the type who blew up buildings, like Bill Ayers) predict that Bend will spend the week with temperatures topping 100.  Number 2 on our list was a portable air conditioner for Mom's house.

Costco, Best Buy, and Home Depot were sold out.  It only shows that the early bird gets the cool.  At least, we purchased a peep hole for Mom's front door -- task number 3.

Darrel and Christy put their home on the market last week.  They are now one step closer to heading south -- for at least part of the year.

If the house sells quickly, they will need a place to live.  One option is a motor home or a fifth-wheel trailer.  That was number 4 on our list.  And we went at the task with gusto. 

We must have looked at close to 20 units over a two-hour period.  But all of that will wait until circumstances are more propitious.

And that is how we ended up at Walmart.  It was on our way home, and Mom suggested that the good folks at the Big W just might have a portable air conditioner.

They didn't.  But while we were walking through the furniture displsay, I noticed a chair sitting on a rack -- the seat at my eye level.

And, on the front of the chair, a sign:  "Please do not sit on displays.  Thank you."

I looked at Darrel, and asked: "Certainly, no one --- ."  Before I could complete the sentence he replied: "Yup.  You will see the darnedest things in here."

Of course, I already knew that.  It seems I share at least one Walmart cultural experience with you on each of my trips to Bend.

Instead of going on the road, I may simply set up a remote site for Mexpatriate in the midst of Aisle 1 -- where there is a constant cleanup.