Two things that I’m not particularly fond of are 1) grocery shopping WITH my children AND 2) grocery shopping at W@lmart. I know perfectly nice people (like me) shop at W@lmart, but there are definitely quite a few odd ducks that shop there, too. I’d just much rather shop at a grocery store, where odd duck encounters are few and far between. In fact, I currently live in a grocery store mecca. Within five miles of me, there are four different gourmet-ish (I made up that word) grocery stores. These stores are GORGEOUS! and NEW! and they serve coffee! and have a sushi bar! and expensive cheese! and sadly they are brutal budget killers.
Thusly, I shop at W@lmart.
Yesterday while moping through W@lmart, nervously keeping my eyes on my son, and trying to navigate around swarms of people, we happened upon an elderly woman. She looked kind and sweet, and frankly out of place in a store like W@lmart. She smiled warmly at me, as I tried to push my cart out of her way.
“Carson,” I said, “stand over here by Mommy so the lady can get by.”
The elderly women pushed her cart passed us, then bent down to say something to Carson, pointing an arthritic finger in his face while her faced suddenly changed expressions.
“Carson,” she nearly cackled, “You better stay by your mommy or…,” she paused dramatically, “the WICKED WITCH WILL GET YOU.”
Carson and I stared at her in disbelief. I was struck dumb and couldn’t think of any equally as hostile retort, other than, “come on Carson, let’s go this way.”
I still can’t wrap my brain around someone saying that to a little kid! Was this something acceptable when she was raising kids in the Middle Ages?
I dare say, this would only happen at W@lmart. (And certainly not at my estranged boyfriend’s place, Meijer.)
(On a side note, have you seen this W@lmart Bingo card? SO FUNNY!)
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Today’s FINAL Reader Appreciation giveaway comes from Fruition Designs!
Karla from Fruition Designs is offering up a printable version of holiday or mommy cards!!
To enter, just leave a comment!!
Comments will close at 7 AM, EST, November 23, 2008.
Congratulations to T with Honey, winner of the Build a Bear Workshop gift certificate and Mom24, winner of the Sassafras Kids Pizza Making Kit!
Comments closed, thanks for playing!!
In California, all I saw were people being horrible to their kids. In Texas, everyone’s so NICE, I love it.
Would love to win this one. I do photo Christmas cards every year, but I’ve never printed them myself. Looks awesome.
holy crap are you kidding me? PK would have nightmares for weeks if that happened.
but no doubt she would stay close to me in stores…like attached to my leg.
designhermomma´s lastest post..Did I miss something?
Wowzers. Mom24 won my GFTK – she’s a lucky one. My giveaway today was with a nod to a certain Jennifer I know. Granny needs to mind her own beeswax. Gee whiz. This is why I will not ever set foot in Wally World. I feel like I need a shower after leaving & the oddest people are in there.
Oh, CommentLuv is still screwy.
Anglophile Football Fanatic´s lastest post..Giveaway Day 3: Helping with those lists.
Holy hell Jennifer. Seriously?
I am shocked. Stunned even. People are insane. I mean really, that goes beyond batsh*t crazy into a whole other level of deluded insanity.
Poor Carson, poor you. Sheesh.
Karla’s cards rock! She is so talented! Hope I win these!!
Rachel´s lastest post..Can You Keep A Secret?
that is exactly why I don’t shop at Walmart!! I give my mother a list when I know she is going there. I have severe anxiety just thinking about dealing with the other customers in that store. The parking lot alone is too scary!
You’d be surprised, but apparently in Appalachia this was common practice for the older generation. I clearly remember as a child growing up in a small town in Kentucky and living not too far from a small time mechanic’s garage. My parents told me that he was a man who took bad little children and put them in grease barrels in his garage and that if I wasn’t a good girl he was going to come and get me and put me in one too. I was traumatized! Several times I have had to reprimand my parents for suggesting things like this to my own kids.
I think I would of had to accidentally lost control of my buggy and broke her hip.
Christy´s lastest post..The move from hell
Seriously, only at W@lmart! That place is the freakiest. I love the Bingo card. Thanks for the giveaway.
)
koehmstedt´s lastest post..That pesky dentist
walmart grosses me out. the one by my house, from the outside is fancy with all sorts of high end cars in the parking lot. but inside…ew. i won’t go there. i did once. ONCE!!
I just had an incident at W@lmart. So it’s not you and it’s not me. Read here.
You know I think what she said was acceptable a long time ago. Kids were much tougher and the Wiz of Oz was more popular.
Knot
Knot´s lastest post..Too Good Not To Share
umm, creepy!
I think she was the wicked witch.
iMommy´s lastest post..Holiday Shopping
I got to spend last Saturday afternoon at the W@lmart in Springfield, MO. That place was full to the rafters with crazies.
Shelly´s lastest post..Death Chirp
I don’t even know what I’d say – and you’re rigtht – Walmart has their own brand of shoppers. Guess where I get to go this am???
Teri´s lastest post..I Heart Small Projects…
you should have told her to iron her face before going out in public. (<—- witty retort stolen from a skit comedy show 12 years or so ago. still funny though, kay)
maybe asked if she was the witch or one of her flying monkeys? (<—- mine but not as funny.)
britt´s lastest post..the lonely road
people are un-freakin-believable. Who SAYS that to a kid?
I probably would’ve confronted her with an “EXCUSE me? WHAT did you just say to my son?”
I can be pretty hostile when it comes to my kid.
moo´s lastest post..like the best ad ever
Wow. Your post totally reminded me of this:
http://data.tumblr.com/2ZHQpQoeXgawdjva1mgx84tJo1_500.jpg
Heh.
Maria´s lastest post..Vlog: Goobie Sings The Beatles.
I never win, but if I should, please pick another winner. I just wanted to tell you that I totally plan on playing W@lmart bingo the next time I go! That totally made my morning!!!
as soon as i say your title … i thought, i have to send her the w@lm@rt bingo card! but you’ve already seen it.
funny, huh?
and those cards are GORGEOUS. i would love to win them!
Oh my! Yes! Weirdos roam the aisles of Stuffmart.
P.S. I would LOVE to be entered on this one, Jennifer!
SECRET AGENT MAMA´s lastest post..Let Them Eat Cake!
Our closest WalMart is like a melting pot of FREAKS and rednecks. Sounds like granny had been nippin’.
I end up going to Publix which is def. more expensive or Kroger, where the employees are rude as hell, but the prices are cheaper (but not as cheap as WalMart.)
Jamie´s lastest post..Of Cookies And Commodes
OH MY GOD. That Walmart Bingo is TOO funny. Love it.
Shopping at Walmrt is the pits…of hell, I’m thinking. Though a little bingo might make it more interesting….
Sticky´s lastest post..Anybody need anything?
I try and avoid Walmart at all costs.
Thusly? haha..i think you made that word up too ;P
Walmart is always one of those inner debates I have in my brain…cheap prices, hell on earth, cheap prices… I have now sold my soul to Target.
Noob Mommy´s lastest post..We Survived Night 1 of CIO
I’ve only shopped at Walmart in Arizona (we don’t live any where near one) and everyone there kept to themselves (heat will do that to a person). I MISS their prices. I wouldn’t be saving much on the budget though. I’d just buy more crap we don’t need, because I’d be “saving” so much.
I hate it..but those “low,low prices..always!” keep tugging me back sorry to say
That’s just creepy and wrong.
amy´s lastest post..Monkeys and Bears Need Cages
I used to shop at the Wally World frequently as well. I have never met so many crazy people in my life. It was possible to walk in with the best mood of your life and leave with what I call “Walmardisease.” You suddenly lose all motivation, the world stops turning, and you become a giant crab. I am so glad I moved and can shop at a normal grocery store again!
Mary´s lastest post..I was never good at tag.
Sounds like granny forgot one too many heart pills and it has not shriveled up to a big, ugly prune!
What an old biddy.
BTW, congrats on your photo win!
Heather, Queen of Shake Shake´s lastest post..The Male Genetic FAIL
I agree that was a bit creepy. How did Carson handle it all?
Heather~Domestic Extraordinaire´s lastest post..sure anybody can pick the winners…
Dear Lord. That’s all I can say.
Someone once offered (?) to kidnap my child in W@lmart. She said “He’s so pertty, I could just kidnap him!” I said “That’s ok, I”ll keep him!” GAH.
LOVE the bing card!
Jen L.´s lastest post..I got nothin.
Found you via TXmama. Anyway, Walmart is too far away from me to do much good these days (I live in a city, too close to downtown for WM to move in–I too have sold my soul to Target), but I used to WORK there when I lived in the suburbs of Houston. I was convinced (I was home for the summer from college) that Walmart demonstrated that evolution was real and not everyone had evolved. Many very normal folks, many nice people. And then some of the most bizarre encounters I’ve ever had.
BRidgett´s lastest post..New title banner credits
Ugh! How uncomfortable! I’m not sure what I would have done in that situation! Probably same as you. What a witch.
Wow!!! I would have been rendered just as speechless as you. Harsh!!! I am amazed at what some people will say to children.
MadWomanMeg´s lastest post..Motel Mayhem – Starring……..
Sorry that happened to your son! I love my Walmart – it’s brand new and the people are very nice.
Leah´s lastest post..I Can’t Help Myself…
I hate, hate, hate Wal-mart with a passion. Ugh, people just don’t have a clue.
Sorry Carson had to deal with a WM psycho.
I was chastised at the library for letting the 4 year old run ten feet ahead of me and was speaking above a whisper. She was the total stereo type librarian. Older lady, bun in her hair, glasses, and had a large pile of books.
Needless to say I gathered up my monkeys and started to leave. She then turned all nice and asked if I found everything OK. I actually said No. Since I left with no books for me. She was all oh let me help you find what your looking for, blah blah. I kept refusing no and wanting to say, look witch if you would have let me continue to browse we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
Jean@workingmomma247´s lastest post..Ugh The Bug Is Here
That is just WRONG in every possible way! Now I’M going to have nightmares about crazy old W@lmart lady!! Hopefully Carson wasn’t scarred.
PsychMamma´s lastest post..Coming Home
people are so clueless. seriously.
anyway, count me in for the giveaway today
the planet of janet´s lastest post..Birthday dinner: more fun than a barrel of monkeys
Very weird old woman…. we shop in the Walmart neighborhood market, I think it’s a little bit better.
Great give away!
Jennie´s lastest post..Best $170 we ever spent
That is totally strange and kinda creepy. Actually, maybe more than kinda creepy!
wright´s lastest post..
And she wasn’t kidding?? Like, just joking around AT ALL?
Huh.
Moriah @ Please Pass the Salt´s lastest post..Oh, the sweet innocence of youth
OMG, that’s creepy!
Alyssa probably would’ve laughed and smacked that lady’s finger. Wonder what kind of response that would get.
Oh my Word. A cackling old lady. I have been shopping at WAlMart for years, and can safely say that I have never had that experience….
tracey´s lastest post..Responsible? Me?
Oh yeah that sh#t happens all the time here in California. I can’t believe it’s happening where you are.
Lee the MWOB Queen´s lastest post..Okay, I’m ripping off an idea ’cause it’s Friday and it’s a good idea.
My Walmart is about the same as yours. The only time it actually came in useful was when we bought our crib. When I was about 7 months pregnant we were driving home from somewhere and I had a moment of panic because we had bought nothing for the baby. I forced my husband to stop at Walmart so we could be something, anything so I would feel better. I was thinking a few outfits or something small.
We ended up finding a crib we actually liked that would look good in the nursery and were midway into the parking lot before we realized we were driving a convertible. The truck was at home! To add insult to injury, it had just stopped pouring and the roads were wet.
Down went the top and my husband was bravely trying to lift the darn thing up and over with what little help I could give him. Luckily, some guy who was begging for change in the parking lot asked if he could lend a hand. My husband, being man, said no. I said yes please and it was in within seconds.
We gave the guy all the change we had in our glove box as a thank you and drove home, a little damp.
people are crazy! but even crazy people love stationary. I’d love to win! i might even quit scaring little kids at walmart.
Oh my god. That is crazy.
Cathy´s lastest post..Twitter’s Broken
Yes, it would happen in Devilmart. Love the bingo card, though! That’s way too funny!
Hillary – The Queen I Am Not´s lastest post..(Almost) 12 O’clock, and All Is Well
Oh, Walmart. What can I say. I loathe Walmart. Sorry, W lovers
Those cards would be totally cute to hand out this holiday season-hmmm-let’s see if I can’t strike gold twice here
flickrlovr´s lastest post..Concert Mania