Saturday, July 15
There are people who go shopping late at night, even folks with like little kids and stuff and I could never understand how you could have a small child out in public past like 8 pm how does that kid sleep what is happening.
I needed to go to the store at about 9 pm this week because I realized the cats were out of cat food and that is a problem for them. It is also a problem for me because they will make it a problem for me. So I went to the Amherst Street Wegmans in the city. I needed to go at that time of the night because listen shut up that is not something I planned on I was just Doing Things. There are people who go shopping late at night, even folks with like little kids and stuff and I could never understand how you could have a small child out in public past like 8 pm how does that kid sleep what is happening. I have two kids I know the score here. What is their life like where that is the best option. My guess is working most of the day and that is the only possible time to get necessities so the kid is coming to the store whether they want to or not. We have created the labor conditions of the gilded age but now with child labor laws that keep the kids from going to work with their folks but with no help to find the care I guess although folks in the midwest red legislatures are workshopping those too.
Regardless I got my stuff and checked out and was walking back to my car and there was an old man in jeans and flannel shirt and a 1994 Buffalo Sabres Starter baseball cap - I’m sure a lot of you have an exact picture of what that hat looks like and you are correct. This man was standing behind his suv and he was ripping a heater. I didn’t see if there was anyone in the car but he gave the affect of enjoying every second of that moment he had because he knew he wasn't going to have it for long. A lot of stolen time happens in grocery stores I think. Is it stolen if you are stealing it back or are you your own general relativity repo man. I did not stop to talk to him I was not going to ruin it for him.
When I see strangers I wonder what their life is, which can be an exercise in expanding on one’s own assumptions and stereotypical beliefs, but I usually start with the idea of “they probably work really hard and can’t catch a break so what brought them here.”