Winter Supplies

It started as one or two falling flakes here and there. I really didn’t notice until one landed on my nose, perch there momentarily to get my attention then disappeared. The introduction was brief but the visit promised to be lengthy. IT WAS SNOWING!

“Oh, God, what shall I do? I’ve got to get supplies. Yes, that is it, I have to get supplies. Try and remain calm and head to the store and get bread and milk.”   I told myself.

The man ringing a bell for attention, steadied his red bucket as I rush past through the door. The girl behind the counter with a look of boredom watched as I skidded past the register. I caught my breath and took a quick look around. THERE WAS NO BREAD OR MILK ANY WHERE! I was doomed. I will be a starving icicle by the end of the evening. What insane reasoning made me move to Minnesota?

“Can I help you find something?”ask the cheerful clerk in the ill-fitting red shirt.

“Do you have any bread? Milk? Something? ANYTHING?” I said quickly as I turned to him resisting the urge to grab his shoulders.

His smile was replaced by a nervous grin as he glanced around fearfully looking for assistance. “Sir, you are in Ace Hardware. Cub Foods is next door and may have what you are looking for.” He then spotted an out, spun around to face a rational shopper, reattached his smile and voiced his willingness to help.

With considerably less flare, I slipped passed the bored cashier and left the store. Then started running across the parking lot. Passing my car I noticed snow had collected on my windshield and increased my speed toward Cub Foods.

As I pushed through the automatic doors, snatch a shopping cart and weaved around slower shoppers, I started to noticing things. There wasn’t anxious crowds at the checkouts. Shoppers didn’t have expressions of fear, agitation and panic. Some shoppers didn’t even have bread or milk in their carts!

I rounded the corner and squealed in delight at all the bread along the aisle. There was white bread, wheat bread, Italian bread and french bread. Even better, there was a person restocking the shelves with more bread.

“Thank God, it is snowing out there and I need to get some bread and milk. I guess I beat the crowd.” I timidly said to the bread stocker.

He looked up at me smirked and said, “Yea, the "CROWD". What part of the South are you from, son? “

I told him I moved up from Georgia as I scooped up several loaves of bread try to calculating the strength of the approaching storm. I then noticed people passing through the aisle and not even looking at the bread.   The helpful stock-boy interrupted my slowly developing revelation and point me toward the milk.

He tipped his purple Viking hat to me as I passed and said something that sent chills up my spine, “Here in the North we usually stock up on beer.”

DAMN IT! I yelled as I spun around and headed for the front of the store.

As I blew past the stock-boy once again he yelled, “Hey, you forgot your cart.”

So now I stand here with no bread, no milk and try to decide if the snow storm is a 12-pack or 24-pack. Oh, what the hell, I will take that 30-Pack!!!!!


Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow………………………………..