I find it very interesting that my bride, who, on occasion, views shopping as a recreational activity, has been sending me out there amongst them for groceries. I understand why. She has health issues, including a couple of auto-immune problems. She must feel that I am less likely to be affected by the virus. Who knows. But I am doing my dangest to be safe when I shop. Someone has to do it.
This morning I went to Aldi and Trader Joe’s. I mention this because the two chains are owned by the same German company, yet their approach to the pandemic is very different.
If you have ever shopped at Aldi you know they have carts outside and you put a quarter in to free a cart. When you return you put the chain back in and it frees your quarter. That is still in effect. The only measure I could see that pertained to the crisis were signs fashioned on a computer printer reminding folks to maintain 6 feet of social distance. The young lady that checked me out had on plastic gloves, but lots of checkers had been doing this before the current situation. The checker did appear pregnant to me. I’m not sure I would have been there in that situation if I were her.
I went through the shopping list given to me by Ms. Robin, and then swung by the paper goods aisle. They obviously had had toilet paper in as there was another sign there advising people that it was only one package to the customer.
The remainder of items on Robbie’s list of necessities were to be had from Trader Joe’s. There the pandemic measures were much different. Again the signs reminding customers of the 6 feet separation rule. They had a gentleman stationed up front that was spraying sanitizer and wiping off cart handles before the customer took one. The checkers were wiping off the card readers between customers. The germophobe in me has always wondered about those given the number of people touching them. Instead of a plexiglass shield between you and the checker like a lot of stores are doing, they had a square marked on the floor with tape. The young lady checking me was very adamant about me being in that square. I understand. She also seemed more than a little nervous to be working.
We generally only buy a few selected items at Trader Joe’s. Toilet paper has not been one of them. I did not even think about buying it there until I saw a package of it in a woman’s cart. At that point I went looking for the paper goods section of the store. They had ONE, and only ONE, package left on the shelf. I quickly put it into my cart, and from that point on I was deathly afraid to leave my cart unattended.
We had recently purchased a giant Costco package of TP so we are alright for a while, but I definitely wanted to add to our stockpile. We need something to give to all those souls with guns when they come looking.
That last line nailed it!
I’m glad you’re taking care of my bestie and not letting her shop. I know not going to the store herself is probably driving her nuts.
And yep to that last line…hope it doesn’t come to that.