A Shopping Day with Granny

When I visit with Granny, which I try to do often, we sometimes go up to Walmart to do some shopping. Granny just loves her Walmart! This is the hot spot she visits (religiously) once a week.

We have different reasons why we enjoy going to Walmart together. Granny likes when I take her because she'd rather not drive. I like when I take her because I enjoy buying her groceries.

My little Granny is full aware that when she's with me, she's not allowed to pay for anything. Sometime's, I admit, I'll let her buy me a "hambooger" (as she calls it, remember she's Spanish!) because I know it makes her feel good to bless me. This story sums up our grocery shopping experience.

When we arrive, Granny grabs the cart. She likes to push it and I like to fill it up. Granny always has her grocery list in hand. She knows exactly what she needs for the week. She checks prices on everything with great precision. My Granny is on a tight budget, like most women her age, and she's from the "old school" when you could buy 12 cans of green beans for a nickle! My grandmother ALWAYS buys generic. Always. She buys Sam's Soda, generic mac and cheese (it's like paste!) generic canned vegetables (yikes!), generic cheese (yuk), and the worst of all, generic ice cream (imitation!).

Well, not happening on my watch! Now, you may be someone who enjoys generic brands and one of those people who swears "you can't tell the difference!" Sorry, but I don't buy it. Not the food, nor that statement. I can always tell the difference.

Granny and I are somewhat entertaining when we shop together. It's actually pretty comical. I'll put something (name brand) in the cart and Granny will take it out and replace it with the cheap stuff (yikes!), only for me to take it out again. One of the items on her list was green beans so I grabbed a can. Granny said, "No, Bikki, dat's too much! Put it back, we get dis one." Of course, it was generic. Sam's green beans. Look, I don't know Sam. I don't know where he's been or where he grows his green beans, so I sure don't want my grandmother eating them.

I said, "Granny, I"m not buying the cheap stuff. You're with me, I'm paying and we're getting these." She knew it was a waste of her time to argue with me (God bless her for trying though!). She pouted a little bit. She even gave me that "look", but, eventually, sitting comfortably in the cart were two cans of Del Monte Green Beans.

This process is repeated over and over again. We were almost done when Granny looked at me and said, "We need to go dis way", Bikki." I followed her to the frozen section. Ice cream. I knew what was coming. Oh, boy, this was going to be fun. She thinks she's so sneaky and clever. She tries to keep me engrossed in conversation, while she slips the generic ice milk (gross!) in the cart. You'd think she'd have learned by now. Doesn't she know who she's dealing with?! I stood there and let her put it in. I smiled at her, she smiled back. Oh, she thought she was home free. I wanted to wait a few seconds. I decided to allow her to taste victory. I knew it would be short lived!

Then, I walked over, didn't say a word, picked it up out of the cart, placed it back in the refrigerator and grabbed a carton of Breyer's Vanilla Bean. I played the same game. I smiled at her as I carried on a conversation about the weather or something, trying to distract her. Too late. She saw me. She yelled, "NO, BIKKI! That's ree-dick-u-lous! Dat's too much! I say NO! Put that back!"

Oh, here we go again.

p.s. I like the word yikes now.