2001-02-05 - 20:53 MST

February 5, 2001

Spy A Bit

Today Heather and I went out to Costco. I did the needed milling around to fulfill my portion of the shopping, found Heather and put in her buggy what I had been sent to get and headed for the snack bar and a place to sit down.

My walking distance is limited and fatigue hits soon, so the sitting was welcome.

After a bit of rest while keeping an eye on the snack bar, noting that the line was slack I went and bought this spoiled kid -- me -- a Churro and a soft drink.

Then to my official position as People Watcher. The table closest to the exit door is really the best spot as one can see most all of the customers on their way out. Also one can watch and smile at the babies and tots at surrounding tables and see their antics, and the reaction to them by the Mom or Grandma. I enjoy watching the nurturing going on.

Here comes a grossly overweight woman from the check stand, cart loaded with groceries with as I expected plenty of fattening food, she parks her buggy and goes to the snack bar and gets some pizza, two or more slices and a cold drink. She quickly disposes of the pizza and goes back to get herself a soft ice cream cup (large size of course) polishes that off in a short time and then heads doorward.

Then comes this thin woman with two rambunctious boys driving her crazy, each demanding attention immediately and Mom looking stretched out to the point of total distraction pushes them along gently towards the door. Wow, shopping for her must be an exhausting job. Her grocery cart looked to contain a lot of good healthy food and a minimum of the fattening stuff.

Coming from another check stand are an old man and woman, the man pushes the cart over to the table, the woman sits down and the man goes to the snack bar. Pretty soon he comes back with a Polish dog which he has done the mustard, catsup, onion bit for her and a Chicken Bake for him, drinks for each and then gets sent back for napkins. They get comfortably settled and converse as they eat seemingly happy, someones Mon and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma and maybe both as they have the seasoned veterans look about them of being able to handle whatever comes up.

Some of the couples coming through are anything but a matched pair, different heights, weights, colors and personality. But they each and all seem attached to their counterparts.

The behaviour and ages of the children coming through is as varied as I can imagine. Some of them brash and bold, some shy and attached to their Moms at the hemline of her skirt or the leg of her slacks. Some are so full of energy they look about to rise up in the air like a skyrocket or shoot balls of fire from their eyes like roman candles.

I often see a group, Mom, Dad, grown son and daughter-in-law or daughter and son-in-law The resemblance of one of the younger to one of the older ones usually indicate whose parents are present. It is sometimes interesting to see who pays for the items. Not today, but on weekends or summer vacation I will see a Mom and Dad with their progeny in tow, often just clearing the checkout stand before the sibling battle obviously resumes until the parents get them calmed down and headed out toward the parking lot.

Some people are casually wandering around, looking at various things, inspecting what they are looking at and leisurely moving on.

Other folks are in one hell of a hurry and scoot around, knowing exactly what they want and where it is and snatching it as they go by. With an eagle eye and reflexes on High Speed they approach the check out stand they feel they will get through sooner. Usually they do not stop at the snack bar, even if the kids whine to the point of rebuke from the attendant parent.

Through the store there is a bit of blind buggy bumping when one or both buggy pushers puts their attention on something to the side and veers. Usually there is an apology.

Then there is the shopper, one who might fit Rob Rummel-Hudson's description of a small person that can by the use of themselves and a buggy cater-cornered block a wide aisle and stand lost in thought as if they were alone in the store. Those glare at anyone having the audacity to say, "Excuse me please," and will move just enough that the party wanting through can squeeze on by.

I have never seen outright bickering take place out at Costco, but many foot races to a open check out stand.

Short, fat, thin, tall, wide shouldered, or narrow, each with unique features and gaits, their expressions varied, all intent on the process of self survival.

I go back to my seat over by the snack bar and continue to Spy A Bit . . . . . . .

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