Dragging Our Feet through the Perils of Walmart with an Elder
Not my Favorite Place to Shop
Today I went to Walmart. I don’t shop at Walmart and avoid it at all costs. If I need anything from Walmart, I order it online and have it delivered. It has worked fine. Therefore, when my 81-year-old father asked me to take him to Walmart, I cringed but took him, anyway. My idea was to drop him off at the entrance and let him shop while I waited in my car. Then I thought about how dangerous it could be for him. Sort of like a baby crawling between a buffalo stampede, so I opted to go in with him.
Courtesy is no Longer Existent
It is difficult to walk around Walmart taking tiny steps with an 81-year-old. People have little to no patience and shove their way between you and others just to get one of the hundreds of canned corn or whatever they are so desperate for. That’s why I stay close by to protect my father from getting shoved or pushed to the ground. People leave their carts in the middle of the aisle to grab an item when there’s clearly plenty of space for two carts. Some give you a dirty look when you say, “Excuse me,” to get through. The employees are no exception. They stand in the aisles and are bothered if we gather an item which they are replacing or if we ask them a question. I’m sure not all the employees are like this, but unfortunately, I haven’t come across any who are not.
Baby Steps — Forever Steps
My father needed just a few things, twelve items, to be exact. It took us an entire hour to gather those twelve items. Not only because they are scattered throughout the store, but because of the baby steps we were taking. If I was tired of taking those baby steps, I can’t imagine how my father felt.
Ready to Check Out
After gathering all the items, we headed towards the cash registers. They were full, but since we only had twelve items, we could use the 20 items or fewer register. Woo-hoo! But wait, why is it so slow? Never mind, we’re in Walmart. There’s little to no courtesy or consideration there, let alone people who don’t take the time to read where it clearly states, “20 ITEMS OR FEWER.” So there we were at the 20 items or fewer line, waiting for the couple with 40+ items to finish.
A Good Deed
The gentleman behind us asked if he could cut in front since he only had three items. “Please do, sir,” I responded. It did not bother me to let him pass. He kindly thanked me and replied, “You are not from here. People here are not polite. Where are you from?” See, even he realized people are not courteous here. We engaged in conversation until he was ready to check out. Once he checked out, it was our turn, and I could not be happier.
Mission Accomplished
Yes, today I took my elderly father to Walmart — the place I dislike shopping at the most. Not only are the social media memes about Walmart accurate, but there’s also a lack of courtesy or respect. It is unfortunate we have succumbed to this level within society. I sure hope people begin to shift their level of politeness and that I don’t have to go to Walmart ever again.
