Mother Bear Protects Her Cub

"If you're a Mama Bear, everyone

knows you mean business."

Author Unknown

Weather report for today is that we may get snow this afternoon and tomorrow.  I debated whether I should go to the grocery store to pick up a few things before the storm arrived. Bananas were all gone. Strawberry jam jar had about a spoonful left. I had no veggies and with my handicap permit I could park close to the entrance. Hobbling would be good exercise so I opened the garage door, got into the car and had another debate. Should I go to King Soopers where I know where everything is located? Or would Sprouts be easier to get in and out.  I decided to go to KS because it is closer to me than Sprouts.

I drove around three times and the eight handicapped spots were taken. I found a spot mid-way from the entrance, picked a grocery cart, placed my walker in the cart and began the slow walk to the store. It seemed as if I would never get to the entrance. When I finally entered the large doorway, I knew I would not be shopping.  My ankle throbbed and even my knee was beginning to hurt. What to do? Return to the car and forget shopping? I was not even sure I could make it back to the car. I stopped a clerk and asked if someone could do my shopping for me and she said, "You know we have electric carts." I limped to where I had seen the carts but not a one was to be seen. Another clerk, seeing my expression of woe, said, "Let me go look on the other side, maybe one was dropped off there." Before long she arrived in a cart and I got in. I don't know where she found the cart but the seat was like sitting on a block of ice! A cold rear was better than trying to walk so I began my shopping.

Practicing going forward and backward almost gave me whip lash. The electric cart would stop with a jerk and then lurch forward.  There was no smooth way of moving through the aisles. I know I scared many persons as they saw me jerking toward them! Some shoppers gave me a wide berth while others got very close and I was sure I would run them over. They may not have been worried, but I sure was! On one aisle, as I attempted to turn around, I backed up too far and struck my head on a shelf. I expected to hear cans come crashing down but lucky for me, they didn't. On another aisle I almost knocked a display down.

The irony of the whole thing was that three weeks ago all the merchandise had been moved from where I remembered and rearranged in different aisles. It was like shopping in a brand new store. What I thought would be a quick trip took much longer. By the time I reached the cashier I was exhausted and she kindly asked a bagger to go with me to my car so he could return the cart back to the store. He placed my walker and my groceries in my trunk, wished me a good day, and off he went with his apron flying.

At home it took a few trips from the trunk of my car into the house and because I carried the heavy bag on one side, the walker wanted to tip over. I wrestled with the bag and the walker as I opened the door to the house.  When a pancake box slipped out of the bag,  my hurt ankle sought protection behind my good leg.  It reminded me of a mother bear with her cub.  I would do anything to protect my injured ankle.

I am now ready for snow.  My pantry is full and even though my ankle is swollen, I believe I can weather the storm and I may even hibernate.