Driving into a parking lot that holds 1000+ cars is acceptable . . . if you're arriving at WalMart; but if its the local grocery store, and nearly every spot is taken, it's cause for a cold sweat - at least for me.
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| HEB Plus! at Potranco and 1604 |
HEB has never been my favorite place to shop. I don't get the layout, and like my avocados from California, not Mexico. Nonetheless, it's the only grocery store chain in San Antonio - except for WalMart or Target. That's right. There are no Kroger's, Randall's, Epicurious, or Publix; not even a Piggly Wiggly. No. It's either HEB, or starve.
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It was 100 degrees, and the only parking spots were out near the road, so I knew my trek across the asphalt would be hot and miserable. Yet, with a sudden mental image of cold Diet Coke, Blue Cheese burger patties, and fresh green salad, I turned off the car engine, stepped onto the pavement, and instructed my feet to go.
The sun seemed to be focused only on me, so I removed my glasses from the top of my head to prohibit a hole from being burned there. I was instantly moist, and that disturbed me. Still I continued to the store entry, which remained open-air for about ten yards more, beyond a myriad of outdoor displays of cooking grills, chimneas, and pumpkins.
There were people everywhere. Just imagine your local store on the day before Thanksgiving, then multiply it by ten. But this wasn't the day before a holiday. Not even close to one. It was a normal day, and I felt instantly overwhelmed - especially when I got a visual of the multitude of germs crawling on the shopping cart I was about to utilize. The sanitary wipes canister was empty. I prayed.
I don't know if you've ever shopped HEB, but you begin in the fruit and vegetable section, which is large enough to be a store, all by itself. Did I say there were people everywhere? It was like the worst freeway, during rush hour, with an accident ahead. Carts to the left, to the right, ahead, and now behind - turned in all directions, and moving like ants - large ants. I had to move because stopping meant holding up traffic; yet not knowing the store's layout, I had to pause to find the carrot juice section. I could almost hear horns honking from the carts until I spied the juices and started in that direction. I couldn't take my eye off my path, else I'd crash into someone.
I could feel my blood pressure tighten, and my pulse quicken, as I weaved my way to the carrot juice, where five other shoppers arrived before me. I waited. When it was my turn, I grabbed the first bottle of juice that displayed a carrot image, then got the heck out of there.
The remainder of the shopping maze was equally as stressful, and I decided a stay in jail couldn't be worse; but decided not to test that theory, so headed to the checkout to pay. That portion of the experience went well, except when the sacker dude placed the 2-liter bottles of Diet Coke atop the grapes.
"NOOoo!" I must have shrieked, causing the sacker dude to take a step back.
"Sorry," he said, "I wasn't thinking."
My gosh, I hope I bought enough for at least two weeks.
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