Save Me From Morons

Tonight, after visiting with DIL and our gorgeous grand-kiddo, Robert and I stopped at WalMart on the way home. I swear, the rest of Creek County must have been breathing a sigh of relief, because every single moron in the area was in the store at that moment.

When did grocery shopping become a social event? I can't count how many times I turned down an aisle, only to find it totally blocked by multiple couples with multiple children chitchatting, enjoying the warmth inside and utterly uncaring that no one could get past. A polite "Excuse me" didn't work. Less polite mutterings didn't work, either. Nudging one or more with the shopping cart did, at least, get their attention, not that it made them move. I resorted to snarling a few times; that got better results.

What's happened to common courtesy? When I was a kid, my mom went grocery-shopping every Friday night after work, and she usually took the three of us with her. But we didn't get in anyone's way. We didn't walk three abreast down the aisles. We didn't push our carts into other people or refuse to move out of their way (actually, we never GOT in anyone's way because our mama taught us better). If we got cranky or too loud or whiny, we were sent to the car.

No more. The kids in the store were obnoxious, rude and loud. No surprise, given that their parents were obnoxious, rude and loud. It took nearly an hour for a trip that shouldn't have been more than twenty minutes, and most of that time was spent trying to maneuver past people blocking the aisles while they talked, or piddling along down the middle of the aisle so no one could pass, or kids having tantrums while Mom and/or Dad yelled, swatted, and threatened but actually did nothing. Jeez, I was ready to bang someone's head against the tile floor -- and by the time I got out, I felt as if it had been MY head.

I understand, there are times when a parent has to go to the store and has to take the kids with her. But I don't understand why, when Mom AND Dad are available, why can't one of them stay home with the kids? Why does the whole brood have to tag along, and why do they have to be so damn obstructive?

Grrr . . . Rachel7:36 PM