The Shopping Spree

After 2-weeks staying at my place for free

Luis said to me, let’s go grocery shopping.

It’s about time I paid you back for your kind-

ness. Money is due today on my food stamp

account. Let’s go to Albertson's and get some

good stuff to eat. I was relieved to say the least,

for my own personal funds were running low.

Potatoes? You like Idaho or red, he asked,

dropping a five-pound sack of each into our

cart. The broccoli looks good. How about some

of that? Through the produce we went and

then on to the meats. A couple of steaks, some

center-cut pork chops and boneless chicken

breasts. Oh and Italian sausage, got to have

a pound of that. I’m going to fix us the best

meal we’ve had in weeks, Luis said to me with

a big old grin of satisfaction on his face. And

on we went through this isles, stuffing our cart

full of all the necessities—bread, peanut butter

and jelly, potato chips, tuna, canned salmon and

the like. No expense to be spared today. This is

the way I like to shop, diversity and quality, no

holds barred, nothing but the best for you and

me, he said excitedly. Then with our shopping

frenzy complete, we headed for the checkout.

Luis, jubilant as hell, was pleased with himself

being able to contribute to our meager existence.

But then a look came over him. He was suddenly

struck with a glumness of thought, and looking

askance at me asked, today is Wednesday, the

first, isn’t it? No, Tuesday, the 30^th, I told him.

Damn! Not working, I seem to have lost all

track of time. My food stamp account isn’t

available until tomorrow. Leave the cart, and

let’s get the hell out of here...vamonos! No big

deal, he figured. We can go to Trader Joe’s to-

morrow. They have a better selection of steaks

anyway, Luis said shrugging his shoulders non-

chalantly. We still have some of those Ramen

Noodles left in the pantry, I believe...

And I was thinking to myself, son-of-a-bitch!

Chris Hanch 9-3-19