The Grocery Game

 

I enter the sliding glass doors

 

My purse in my hand

 

I take breath, in and out

 

I must make a big choice, despite my self-doubt

 

 

Before even finding one thing to buy,

 

I must decide

 

A Cart or basket?

 

With all I must get I complete the task. It

 

 

Is clear I should choose a cart.

 

I try yanking one from the return, but

 

It will not budge

 

So I pull and I pull and I give it a nudge

 

 

It moves just a little, but not quite enough

 

Like it has as little faith in my trip as I do

 

But eventually it comes free

 

Showing that maybe there is hope for me

 

 

I grip the green plastic handle cover

 

As I enter the store

 

I pause for a sec

 

for one final list check

 

 

And a self check-in as I

 

Collect myself,

 

I breath, and let the list take the lead

 

As I once more recall what I need

 

 

 

Thank god for my list

 

I think it saved my life

 

It guides my like mom did

 

During every trip since I was a kid

 

 

 

Just like her, the list knows what I need

 

Where it is and how much to buy

 

With my Grocery Guide I get through the store

 

navigating my cart and its wonky wheels over the white tiled floor

 

 

After a minute I begin to fly through the list

 

With ease and with haste

 

I find new confidence

 

And realize there was no need to be so tense.

 

 

From all the times helping mom,

 

My muscle memory knew what to do.

 

In a flash, I am out of the checkout

 

And through the sliding doors, holding in a gleeful shout,

 

 

My smile beaming

 

I realize I was ready all along

 

After years of preparation that I had never seen,

 

Of the grocery game, I had become Queen