Grocery Store

A woman with three kids

waits in line at the grocery store

at 3:30 in the afternoon.

She is already carrying

two bags under her eyes

and they both look

like she has two gallons

of milk in each.

They better be double bagged.

Her polo is self-embroidered

with “Angie” over her heart

and for good measure,

she wears two more name tags.

The kids are in the candy aisle.

They already know the answer,

but they always ask anyway.

“A treat?”

The practiced mask

of disapproval

is forced on her face

and the rehearsed

excuse of spoiled dinner

across her lips.

She sets her four packs of Ramen

and two loaves of Sara Lee

on the counter

and smiles at the seventeen year-old

high school drop out

just wanting to be off work

so he can play X-Box.

Without making eye contact

he tells her:

“$2.79 please.”

She hands him the last

of her EBT card

for the month

and with a swipe,

it is gone.

She tips the bag-boy fifty cents and tells him

“Buy yourself a treat.”

Reviews

[Jordan]

One thing small that I noticed was in the second stanza. I would get rid of the simile comparing her eye bags and bag bags and just say something like, "She had gallons of milk under both eyes," or something.

Overall, it's nice. But what time period was this written in where four packs of noodles and two loaves of bread just cost $2.79 and $.50 is a tip? haha

[Norma M Sutton]

I feel for her. I use to work the register. You capture her exhaustion well.

[InkSlinger]

So many things to like about this.. I rather liked the part about already carrying two bags under her eyes.. thought that was clever.. not sure I would have continued with the jugs of milk.. but it's your story..

You paint a very bleak picture with your works.. and it's full of irony..

[Misty Blue Eyes]

WOW this hit me hard. i see so many people with those PA cards and it breaks my heart... not the ones who abuse the system but the ones who really need it.. i love this story