It was like shopping in an obstacle course. One where the obstacles move, constantly. Everywhere I turned there was someone on a scooter, using a walker, leaning on a cane or zipping along in a manual chair. We had gone early to do some grocery shopping as we wanted to make a big casserole that would feed us for a week in which we are going to be simply too busy to cook. Joe had gone one direction, I the other. It took me four tries to get to the cabbages, I had to wait for one very slow moving woman using a walker and a older fellow who was trying to lean on his cane whilst opening one of those plastic bags that they have in the fruit and vegetable section. He was muttering. I knew exactly what he was saying, I can't open those things either.
Finally I got in to the cabbages and picked up a nice looking one, grabbed a green pepper and a lovely large onion and I was off. On my way over to the tea aisle I had to stop several more times as various devises and contraptions were used to get fellow shoppers around. Being that we were all intensely Canadian there was a chorus of 'oh, I'm sorry's' to be heard everywhere in the store. Apology comes naturally to us in the north part of North America. I made my way to the tea and it was timely because I was able to reach a brand of tea for a woman who was unable to reach high as her shoulders were pretty much at right angles to her hips. She said, with a naughty wink, that this particular brand of tea got her blood flowing. I think she was flirting. I hope she didn't notice me pick up the brand, getting the 'blood flowing' without a need for a prescription seemed like a good idea.
After check out, Joe said to me, 'Did you notice that the store was absolutely full of scooters, walkers and chairs, oh my?' We were overheard by the saucy lady with the tea tucked in her bag. She said to him, 'Oh, yes, wasn't it wonderful? It was so nice to be able to shop without too many of you people about.' She was off with another flirty glance my way.
I can't imagine what she'd be like after a cup of tea.
I noticed exactly the same thing in a shopping centre while here in the U.K.--a significant percentage more people "on wheels!" I loved it. Just wait until we baby boomers really hit town over the next few years. Look out world we are coming.
ReplyDeleteI got a big kick out of a couple of senior citizens using wheelchairs or scooters or something last week. We have a big road construction project going on in the town where my son goes for karate lessons. They're widening a state highway from two to four lanes where it crosses Main Street, so that intersection is seriously torn up.
ReplyDeleteAs I'm waiting a few cars back from the stop light, I see a couple who are both zipping along the sidewalk - like I said - not sure if they were using wheelchairs or scooters or maybe one of each - But there wasn't any moss growing under those wheels.
They get to the intersection - and I'm sure the curb cuts aren't real smooth right now - then they just almost fly catty-corner (kitty-corner?) across the intersection without getting hit.
I would have been afraid to run at that intersection - too crazy- but they made it - and were ahead of me (in my car) for probably a couple of blocks.
Loved it - gutsy!
Those produce bags are horrible. Can anyone get them open?
ReplyDeleteBelinda, what I noticed over there is that many shopping centers have the 'shopmobility' programme where the center itself provides scooters for those who need them. I have used that service myself over there. It was difficult because I wasn't registered but the manager there did everything he could to get me into a scooter and it made for such a wonderful day. It's a terrific programme.
ReplyDeleteFor those pesky produce bags, moisten your thumb and another finger, grasp the top of the bag with moistened fingers then rub them back and forth, it should open right up.
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