Ended up today in the grocery store
for the first time in a year.
It was so much bigger than I remembered:
dark ceiling, ignored arrows on floor,
shelves and shelves of exotic stuff
I remember the years of lingering
trying to decide between this or that,
indulging in this curious pasta shape,
remembering to get soap and soup.
But today the noise and people
now both strangers to me were all
and I tried not to run down the aisle
to the counter for my leg of lamb
Apparently they could not bring that
to my waiting car as they had
the rest of my order on Monday.
The butcher searched and and gave it to me
with congratulations – the last one he said
I waited in line with it and two dozen eggs
my mother will be coloring no doubt.
A helpful person asked me to wait
then pointed me to the next cashier,
chatting, surprised I hadn’t been there
since last year and so was I amazed –
not at the time but that my wondering aloud
about how to return to the grocery store
had been answered, like a school room prayer.
the haiku version:
went inside grocery
first time in a year today
all loud and wondrous
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There is a strong resemblance between the poet and her mews.
Yes, exactly. Recently we went (fully vaccinated) into a restaurant for the first time in a year. It was very odd and uncomfortable, worse because it was in Idaho and no one else was making any attempt at covid avoidance. I have done some grocery shopping though Lydia has often done ours for us. I have been glad of my mask hiding the looks and faces I make at chatty checkers…just be efficient and let me out of here please! How will contra dancing ever feel ok again…?
Yeah I know the hard core dancers are really waiting but I don’t know… I see that in other circles too sometimes with bad results already because people just couldn’t wait a few months.
Especially appreciate
“…remember the years of lingering
trying to decide between this or that,
indulging in this curious pasta shape,
remembering to get soap and soup.
But today the noise and people
now both strangers to me were all”