Today the kids and I did our regular grocery shopping. The cupboards were bare and the threat of Mel supporters 'taking up arms' meant that we needed to ensure that we had a good stash 'just in case' we had to hunker down.
Grocery shopping doesn't mean going to one store...sometimes just for the basics it means up to 4 stores and that does not include your fruit or veggies...you must go to a fruit market area of town for that.
AMAZINGLY, I found all but about 3 things on my list at the first store today, so I was excited and feeling good...til I checked out. As they started ringing things up I realized I'd rushed out the door because we could catch a ride down the hill to town. But in the rush...I forgot the backpacks we put our grocery bags in to make it easy to walk from store to store and then up the hill home. So we leave the first store and within 2 blocks the bag with the meat in it had broken. So I had to put the meat into another bag (ick)....after a few stores we were ready to head up the mountain. I walked out and there was a cab - no hailing even needed...perfect!!
UNTIL he wanted to charge me a ton more than usual. Why?? because I'm a gringa...not just a gringO but a gringA....even better target....NOPE I'm too stubborn for that, got my stuff back out of the cab and just kept walking.
Even when I called Thad and Emilson (who were in town doing some school stuff at the courthouse and not expecting to be much longer) to check the current cab rate they said "Do not go with him he's cheating you" So we kept walking thinking we'd grab another cab. But none passed. So we kept trudging on....another bag breaks...(kicking myself for forgetting the backpacks again)
finally another cab passes. There isn't much more of the trip left but our bags are bursting (literally - at this point all 3 of us are holding our bags from the bottom because either the handles no longer exist or we are holding our hand over holes...or both) and they are also HEAVY..we're talking a couple frozen chickens, a large bag of flour a large bag of raw sugar, a few things of milk, large bag of beans, rice, etc etc...staples and a good supply...just in case....and that was just in one bag.....hmmm wonder why they were bursting...ha ha ha!
So it was a nice relief to see a cab!
But then he too sees 'GRINGA' & Gringa with her hands full, even better!! When I argue the rate he says "oh but you must go very high on the mountain so I need more" (what?? Seriously??)- we are almost there for goodness sake and he wanted to charge me more than the normal rate for going from the middle of downtown....sigh....stubborn me says "no gracias" and we continue our hike.
UNTIL.....the flour package in one of the burst bags bursts too...ha ha ha ha! I had flour all over me....
Not to worry, one little call and my knight in shining armor came galloping on his lovely white horse to save us....okay he was a bit sweaty & driving our friend, Emilson's truck...but we and our precious groceries were SAVED!! HOORAY FOR DADDY!!! MK said he was the 'best Daddy in the WHOLE world' for that!!
So as you are grumbling about not being able to find a close parking spot at Wal-Mart/Target/Kroger etc.....instead perhaps you can say a prayer of thanks for the ease and convenience and the lack of uphill walking to get to your car....oh and the buggies to carry your groceries to your car, that's a great thing to be thankful for too!! Even if the bags are cheaply made and horrid...you don't have to go far with them so you can even be thankful for that!
(Lesson learned today: get over the stubborn streak gringa and pay the extra $ so you don't lose your groceries...sigh....we'll see)
4 comments:
Aah, I felt terrible for you reading this. And, you are right. I did grumble a bit @ Walmart last time I was there since we had to park so far away. So, you are right ~ we should be thankful! Thank you for making me think about the little things to be thankful for today. Bless your heart!
Love reading your posts! You give a very good picture of what life down there is like. I appreciate that so much!
Great story! Of course the Davis family (especially R.) would argue that losing flour is totally better than overpaying for a taxi. That is so annoying!
Great story. I recall arguing about 5 lempiras difference in the usual rate for a cab with a friend. I told her later, what were we thinking???? I totally relate to this story.
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