Monday, August 20, 2012

HAPPY HOUR AT THE SUPERMARKET

Before I had children, Friday night usually meant meeting up with friends for drinks, trying a new neighborhood restaurant, or maybe seeing a movie. 

Last Friday night was spent at the supermarket.  

As I parked my car in the almost empty parking lot, I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for myself that this was the way I had to begin my weekend. I headed into the store pouting, and decided that since I had some quiet time to myself I would at least try to unwind with some music. I put on my headphones and headed up the first aisle.

The first song that came on was Madonna’s “True Blue.” I was immediately brought back to my childhood, since this was the very first cassette tape I ever bought. As I headed up the fruit aisle, remembering that my son had demanded I bring home some watermelon, I felt like a kid again.

True Blue ended and the next track came on. Ok, Missy Elliott, if you insist, I will “Work It.” I headed down the cereal aisle with a little swagger in my step and pretended for a moment that I was out dancing with some college friends, not choosing whether to buy another box of Cheerios or treat my child to some Lucky Charms for a change.

Next came some Ani. I very quietly started singing the words to “Untouchable Face,” but soon realized that it’s pretty difficult to sing any Ani DiFranco song quietly. As I was humming along I also concluded that Ani is just not as much fun to sing when you’re happily married. I made a mental note to pick a fight with my husband when I got home and then put on Dilate.

As I continued down aisle 17 (as a City Girl it took me a while to adjust to a supermarket with more than five aisles but now I am very used to it) I realized that I was actually feeling more relaxed than I had in a while. It was nice to be out of the house and on my own for an hour, and even though I didn’t have a cocktail in my hand, I was starting to feel a little drunk from the freedom.

As I approached checkout, James Taylor came on. The secret of life is enjoying the passing of time. Some words of wisdom to end my evening with. Suddenly I was very at peace with the fact that I had spent my Friday night at the supermarket. True, I definitely do not have nearly as much free time as I used to, but life is still pretty good. I arrived home from the supermarket in a great mood, invigorated from the time alone. Then I made myself a cocktail. It was Friday night, after all.

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