The stupidmarket I enjoy visiting is large and has many long aisle of ethnic foods from many different cultures, so the shoppers are also very mixed and it is that mix of people and cultures which reminds me of Walbaum’s the stupidmarket I was often sent to go buy stuff at as a chore as a kid in Brooklyn. Know anyone who sends their kid run and buy anything on their own these days? Me either. Plus this location carries bacon, yes, bacon real bacon because the locations around me (and the shules) do not.
The other afternoon as I waiting on the check out line trying to read as many articles off the trashy magazine rack without having to pay for any, a funny thing happened.
The rather large older Jewish man (tell you how I could tell he was Jewish later) was talking with the bag boy in the checkout next to mine. The young boy never once made eye contact with the man giving specific instructions on how he wanted his groceries pack (this is how I knew he was Jewish). I’m sure for the older man this was a natural way to bring attention to himself and satisfy his need to have things his way and to the bag boy he was probably just another P.I.T.A. customer. For me, it was like a short film being played out in front of me. And just as you could see the relief of the young bag boy for having come to the end of bagging this man’s purchase, the old guy stopped and said out loud,
“Always look forward to the positive and always leave the negative behind you”
If I told you how many times I have repeated the old guys words of wisdom since you wouldn’t believe me. Those words were meant for me too and I am grateful for having been in the “now” even while in line at Publix to pick up some wisdom. Maybe it’s not such a stupidmarket after all.
