Grocery Shopping

Yesterday was just one of those days.  As I posted before, we started the morning off with a trip to Disneyland which was great.

As the afternoon progressed, my mood began to shift.  Blame it on hormones, at least I do anyway.

So I pick Gavin up from his buddies house and hit the grocery on our way home, needed to find some stuff for dinner.  Maybe a nice salad, some veggies and one of those roasted chickens (so I was cheating a little in terms of cooking, so sue me...)

As we approach the store, Piper decides she must sit in the new race car grocery cart.  After an intense disinfecting wipe down of the cart that would envy the likes of a Silkwood shower, I put her in the seat and we rolled on in to the deli counter.

On the way, Gav spotted fried chicken.  Well I am not a huge fan of the fried stuff and try to limit our intake, but I decided that he could get a few pieces of it from the deli and I would get a baked breast.  There was a big sign posted, something like "Buy 8 pieces of chicken for $5.99" or something of that nature. 

So I ask the man at the counter for "Four chicken legs and one breast, Please," to which he replies "Ok" in a voice so low and raspy that I'm not quite sure if he's agreed to it or told me to screw off.

As we wait for the chicken, Piper starts to get restless, wants out of the cart and throws a pretty sincere tantrum.  In what seems like hours later, we finally get the chicken.  The deli man hands me two bags, each with a separate label.  The contents of one: four tiny fried chicken legs for 5.99, the other one, a dehydrated breast for 1.99.

I accept the bags, wipe away Piper's tears with my sleeve and proceed with my shopping, all the while stewing about what now occurs to me is a total rip-off.

Gavin, Piper, the blue race car and I weaved through the aisles, collecting the rest of our staples.  By the time we reached the milk and OJ, I was about ready to throw my own tantrum.  I just could not accept that this chicken, this pathetic, overcooked, dry chicken was about to cost me nearly ten bucks!

I looked at Gavin and, no joke, said this: "Take your sister down to the fruits and vegetables. Get some bananas and I'll meet you down there. I don't want to embarrass you but I am NOT buying this chicken.  I have to take it back to the raspy voiced deli guy."

So he went one way and I the other.  In an act of defiance, I marched right up to the deli, put the two sad little bags on the counter and said "I'm not buying this!  I just can't pay eight dollars for five pieces of chicken, I'm sorry!"

The gal at the counter looked at me like I was a little bit of a psycho, and honestly I can't argue with her. 
At least I didn't hide it behind the Cheerios on the cereal aisle!

So while I may have embarrassed myself, I managed to spare my 12 year-old son's feelings and ultimately I was pleased that I stood up for myself against the deli bully.

I tell ya, I was this close to ripping open a bag of Carolina BBQ Lays right there on the chip aisle but thought nah, I wouldn't want to be one of those ladies...