Maybe because I worked the late shift at good old Pat’s IGA for a few years in high school, I’ve always liked being in grocery stores at night. (Pat’s in all its Google Street View glory.) During grad school, I relished the nighttime trips to our neighborhood Jewel/Osco store in Chicago. Trundling home in the dark with a cart full of grad-school staples is one of my fondest memories of living there. If Shannon knew what was good for her, she’d send me to the big-box grocery store at 8:30 on a Tuesday night.
And but so, I was happy to make a quick run to the small downtown grocery store for some baking items tonight. Finding everything was no problem. In fact, it almost went too fast, because I hardly had time to soak up the late-shift ambiance. I did notice a few interesting fellow shoppers:
- the kid ending his shift and buying a giant Hershey bar
- the tired-looking mom in a sheepskin coat buying two loaves of bread and two bottles of jam – one cherry, one blueberry
- the tall bearded guy talking loudly about “catching some one-acts” up in the Cities and buying a frozen pizza and a Mountain Dew
- the burly guy in the Carhartt jacket buying two kids’ toothbrushes
Accourse, I was hardly dressed to impress, and my own purchases made me look like a dehydrate planning a baking binge. But I was just fitting into the scene!
Back when the EconoFoods was open 24 hours a day, I went there once at 1:00 a.m. to buy some earplugs. In the pharmacy section I encountered two college students, male and female, shopping for condoms. When I showed up, the male became suddenly very interested in aspirin, but the female blew his cover by holding up a box of Trojans and asking him if they were the right kind.
Priceless! I hope she then said, “No, probably too big.”
I also worked in a small town grocery store in HS. The name was K&S SuperValu which the local kids called “Kissn Ass”. Usually until 11pm. I could tell you tales that would curl your toes.