Wednesday, May 6, 2009

shopping where the liberals shop

Despite my misgivings that I wasn't quite anti-war and pro-fair-trade enough to shop there, today I put on a brave face and ventured into the Boise Co-op.

Here is something that a small co-op child truly said to his co-op mother while I was in the dairy aisle (in an ecstatic voice): "CAN I HAVE A LOT OF PLAIN YOGURT??"

I guess I could relate to the kid's unusual perception of a special treat because once when I was in elementary school I got in big trouble for eating a graham cracker without permission.

I wandered through the aisles of organic stuffed olives and expensive, exotic spices until I found what I was looking for: a mecca of Indian sauces, unavailable at the grocery stores that stock their shelves with the kind of peanut butter that has a decade-long shelf life.

Then I got to the checkout counter, and the lady brightly asked me if it was my first time at the co-op. I said yes, ashamed at being so easy to spot. But then she said "we LOVE first-timers" and gave me a temporary card that let me buy my Indian sauce at the member price while I contemplated becoming a member myself.

As I left, I said to the co-op, "I'll be back, co-op. You can't defeat me."

I came out a stronger, better person.

3 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I don't even really know what a co-op is. Maybe Walmart can start one.

rychelle said...

I ABSOUTLEY LOVE THE CO-OP. They just have really cool and yummy stuff. But, as long as Seth is a student, you can use his student ID and get the member price. Seriously, I think it is sad that that child thinks flavored yogurt is a treat!! Really?!

Chrissie said...

Mmmm...plain yogurt. I'm drooling.