Shopping memoirs (Lucy’s POV)

One day Mom asks me to go shopping for groceries.
You’re old enough to go alone now, Lucy, she says.
I want to go with Rachel. She can help me carry the bag, I say, and Mom says Alright.
I like her, my sister. She makes boring things like grocery shopping more fun, even though she can be stubborn as a mule.
We get a big shopping bag that doesn’t have too many holes in it and I take the money from Mom.
Come back quickly. Mom waves us goodbye.
When we are in the street Rachel starts jumping up and down because she never went to the store. I did, a few times, with Mom.
It’s because I’m older now. See, I’m like you, Rachel says.
I know that grocery shopping is like being stuck in traffic. Boring, stressful, hurried. I wish I was young like Rachel and could stay at home playing with old broken toys instead of carrying a heavy bag of food that tastes like plastic.
When we finally reach the shop that is in a whole different neighbourhood, my feet hurt from my new shiny shoes that Mom bought us to replace our old, small, dirty tennis shoes. We both wear them just because they look like Mom’s wanted to buy them for a while.
A bell jingles when Rachel pushes the door open. The man behind the counter shoots us a nasty look before going back to taking care of a customer. Rachel don’t see him, marvelling at the aisles and aisles of fruit and vegetables and milk and cheese and pasta and rice and candy and cakes and bread.
We go further into the shop and Rachel gasps seeing more aisles, of shampoo and toothpaste and hairbrushes and cleaning products and brooms and bags and wrapping paper.
I’ve never used wrapping paper in my life.
Look at this! Rachel says all the time, look at all those types of bread! Why do we only take the white one with the soft crust? There’s the dark one with those almonds on top, and this white one with flour on it that makes it look like a ghost. Lucy, why do we never take those ones?
I don’t respond and take out the list Mom gave me. I start getting items, making sure Rachel stays close by and don’t break anything.
I can’t find the cereals that we like, the ones that melt a little bit in milk. Rachel is too busy looking at all the other types to help me.
I decide that I have to ask someone who works here even though I don’t like talking to them, because I want to get home as quick as possible.
Hello, excuse me, do you know where to find the yellow cereals with the chocolate that melts in milk?
Ah, maybe you could look into the cereal aisle, he says, and I know he’s not going to help me.
I take another brand of cereal instead and decide that it will last until next month.
I call Rachel to the cash desk. The cashier is arranging stuff from a cardboard box into baskets. When he is done I hand him money but he starts tidying up his desk, not looking at me.
Hi, could we please buy that? I say.
He notices me but looks me up and down and then clears his throat, sits down, and keeps moving stuff around on his desk.
Speak louder, Rachel whispers to me. I don’t care that my sister has more confidence than me, she don’t know the real world.
Can I pay? I say again, loudly and harshly. We have to leave soon.
I don’t care about the lie because he finally looks me in the eye. He doesn’t seem to believe what I’m saying, like I’m too young to do anything important.
He beeps the items and tells me a price that don’t seem right.
Um, are you sure? Maybe you could check again?
He shoots me a dirty look, beeps everything again. You’re right, he says, and tells me a higher price.
I understand he won’t change his mind and decide to pay, because Rachel is frowning so hard I’m worried her eyebrows will pop off, and I know what that means will happen.
I quickly put everything in our bag and rush to the door.
You’re from Texas, ain’t you? He says as I push the door in a jingle and we walk out.
When we get home and Mom asks me how it went, I ask her where our old broken toys are.

Castille VM.

Mai 2023