I shop at Walmart - sometimes. There, I've said it.
It's not something I'm proud of. Some of my best friends refuse to step through the doors on humanitarian grounds after the scandals with employee mistreatment came out in the media. Others won't be seen in the parking lot just for the bargain aspect of it all. And I must admit that the sheer VOLUME of the merchandise in a Walmart gives me the heeby-geebies. I just don't want that much selection. And I don't want it to be made completely in China. And I don't want it all to have that synthetic, plasticized smell. Whenever I leave Walmart I feel a little "generic", a little bit like I've "settled" instead of having gone for the brass ring. To top it all off, at my local store there is a tiny pepper-haired greeter lady at the door that stops me on the way out every time to check my bags for contraband. I guess my heeby-geebies give me a suspicious air that must be visible only to security.
But sometimes it is just the place to go. Sometimes I have that perfect storm of a shopping list - a broad spectrum of basics ranging from one or two fresh food items, an accessory for an electronic device, a handful of school supplies, some personal toiletries, pet food, and a some over-priced plastic, click-together prize for one of Broch's well-dones. Oh, and socks. And a new spatula. And maybe that pack of gum. Doh. That's how they get me. One hundred bucks later I'm skulking out the door.
This last time there was a change in Walmart. Not huge, mind you, but definitely noticeable. The main aisles have usually been crammed with giant shelving units and display racks of impulse buys - giant bags of Tostitos, $5 DVDs, plastic versions of the latest shoe trend. These behemoths usually succeed in confounding my every move in the store. Try navigating a gauntlet like this amidst electric ride-on shopping carts, families of seven, and big American butts. (Let's be honest people, the high fructose corn syrup isn't doing us any favors....we are a bit pudgy.) But this last time, after a rare Central Texas rainbow beckoned me to my local big box, all of the middle aisle displays had been removed.
It didn't register at first. It just felt different. Broch and I strolled the expansive aisles in a straight line. We could look other shoppers in the face rather than watch out for their toes. It felt almost luxurious - like I could do a pirouette or two if the urge came upon me. Reflecting on it, I wonder if it is a product of the dismal economy - that even Walmart doesn't have the same over-the-top inventory that needs to be hung from every rafter - or is it a planned change to the merchandising strategy? Regardless, for me it was a bit refreshing - a little ray of sunshine in the rain. Bringing out a rainbow.
