City Life

Friday I woke up early and decided I had to buy milk before doing anything. On my way to the standard Jewel, I passed a smaller grocery store that I'd been meaning to try. Some of you may be familiar with Aldi's, but I was not. I parked at 8:45 and walked up to the doors which were still locked (until 9:00). There, I struck up conversation with the 70 yr old woman with no teeth and a mustache who was also waiting for the store to open. I marvelled at the baskets all chained together, and thought they must be to keep the carts together during the night when there is wind. (What a quaint suburban thought!) I studied them trying to figure out how to un-chain them, when another 70 yr old man came up and fed the box a quarter. Immediately the chain released and I looked away as if I'd known that was going to happen all along.

Finally the door opened, and we filed in to what looked like a Latin American convenience store. Everything was in boxes and cans, with lots of cardboard containers holding it all together. When I got to the milk section, there was one little grocery freezer section devoted to my only 2 choices. Whole. or. 2%. I picked one, and made my way to the checkout where you have to pay for a bag if you want one. What a unique experience, thought I, until I talked with Jennifer in Holland, MI who knew all about Aldi's. So much for my insights into big city culture.I have to admit that I did find it refreshing to have half of my choices eliminated for me. As a product of the obsessively indecisive culture caused by spending 20 minutes in the toothpaste aisle debating about whitening vs. tartar control vs. contains baking soda vs. sensitive teeth vs. mint vs. cinnamon vs. cheap vs. expensive vs. crest vs. colgate etc, etc, etc, I enjoyed the freedom to make an authoritative decision without question. There was no buyer's remorse after the milk.

Later that day I saw my first city rats scuttling around near the dumpsters at work. They were smaller than the reputation that preceded them. I was expecting rats the size of house cats who attacked pets and small children that were left out overnight. The signs posted on the telephone poles in my neighborhood informing the public about the rat extermination in July depict a rodent with huge ears poised for attack and baring its fangs. It wasn't exactly the "welcome to the neighborhood" that I was expecting.