Idgie AttheDew: Ode to Wallyworld - The Circle of Life

There was a time in my life when I sneered, nay even was revolted, by the thought of bargain shopping in giant, slightly trashy appearing stores that held everything from cotton balls to gas grills to a McDonalds. Buy clothes there - are you kidding me?!?? Underwear maybe.... if I were going camping and needed durables.??? I lightly ridiculed people that showed me their Wallyworld bargains.

Then reality hit - in the way of several children.? Children that didn't want to run several errands.? Children that weren't up for sitting in strollers quietly while Mommy shopped for new strappy sandals at Nordstroms, before also heading off to the bank, groceries, a nice salad lunch with friends at the nearby bistro and then to get gas and an oil change on the way home.

A pal, who's high horse fell over before mine also toppled, mentioned one day that she also had these various errands with her various children but she would be going to one stop shopping, get it all done in under 2 hours and be on her merry way home before I even got rollers out of my hair.

I told her to prove it.

The shock!? The astonishment!? She pulled up to Wallyworld, at the auto department (who knew!), told them to rotate the tires and change the oil.? We then strolled into the store with the many children, where we proceeded to bank, get nails done, get hair done, by groceries, buy paint for a bedroom and feed the kiddies popcorn chicken while we bought surprisingly nice underwear - all in one stinking place!? And it was all so very cheap.

I had discovered Nirvana.?

No longer did I sneer.? I now had a small satisfied glow to my smile as all errands were achieved before the kids started screaming.? Who needed strappy sandals from Nordstroms anyway.? It's not like I had anywhere to wear them anymore.? My social gatherings were in my front yard (with a baby on my hip) and Wallyworld itself, where I ran into all my neighbors and we could chat for an hour in the grocery section... popping goldfish and popcorn chicken into little mouths as the children read comic books picked up when we first walked in.? I had freedom... of a sort.

Did I mention they were ALWAYS open?? I could go at 4:00 in the morning if the kids gave me insomnia? (translate to they won't quiet down enough for me to get in more than 5 seconds of shut eye.)

These good times lasted for many years... until two events happened.? My children grew and got pickier.........about everything...... and the recession came, which even hit Wallyworld.?

The good deals went away.? The prices were now even with everyone else.? But the worst - the quantity was gone - no longer did I have a choice of 38 kinds of hair product - I had the same 12 as everywhere else.? For some bizarre reason all the jeans were sold as Husky only - my kids would no longer wear the clothes.?? The auto sections shrunk and stopped with the oil changes.? The banks and McDonalds all left.

When the day came that I realized I had walked out empty handed - for the third time - I knew the golden age had passed.?

I now am back to shopping at 5 different locations for my needs (though those strappy sandals at Nordstroms will probably remain a thing of the past) and I spend much time and gas to cross everything off my list.??? I'm also now back to sneering at Wallyworld.? Not because I'm too good for it, but because it has brought me such disappointment recently. Even the underwear.

I miss the golden days of one stop shopping. All good things must come to an end they say.? The Circle of Life.?

(See you at Tarjay!)

Source: http://lifeofidgie.blogspot.com/2011/07/ode-to-wallyworld-circle-of-life.html

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