The Harper Generations: Country Roads

Never let a Harper loose in a grocery store

Misty

After stuffing our faces at the family reunion and talking to different people, we headed to the local grocery store, Shop, and Spend. That wasn't the actual name of the store. My dad dubbed it that because he said he spent more than he saved in the store.

Tino, his cousins, and their dads grabbed grocery carts. Apparently, one cart wasn't enough for grocery shopping.

Tino pushed a cart while I put food in the cart. "Don't forget the cookies."

I tossed packages of Chips Ahoy, Pinwheels, Oreos, and Fudge Stripped cookies. Elias and Tori walked past us with a cart full of Doritos. Tino and I exchanged glances and laughed. We tossed boxes of Wheat Thins and Chicken in a Biskit crackers and cans of Easy Squeeze cheese. I grabbed bags of candy and added them to the mix. You can't have cookies without candy. It's not right.

We added cartons of ice cream with sundae toppings. Our eyes lit up like Christmas trees when we reached the pop aisle. They have three-liter pop bottles, whereas we only had two liters at home.

My dad stocked up on three-pound cans of coffee, sugar, milk, and creamer. At the same time, Alana stocked up on meat and lunch meat. We tossed in frozen waffles, bacon, eggs, pancake mix, and cereal. It's always good to have three meals a day.

"How often do you go grocery shopping?" Alana asked Dad.

"Usually, weekly. But I always stock up on food the day after we arrive in West Virginia," Dad said.

"You need a list."

"Why do I need a list?"

"You're an impulse shopper."

"I like my snacks." My dad shrugged.

Alana pulled out a box of Snoballs. "I don't consider snack cakes healthy."

Dad snatched the Snoballs from Alana's hand and tossed them into the cart. "Well, I do. Keep your hands off my Snoballs."

Alana stared at Dad as her cheeks turned a faint pink. Tino and I chuckled. Val and Kadia walked up with a car full of groceries.

"How many carts of food do we need?" Alana asked.

"Several. Ma and Dad's cart only has Doritos in it," Val said.

"Why Doritos?"

"Tori takes her Doritos seriously, as do Val and his brothers. Elias keeps her happy." Kadia shrugged.

"Happy wife. Happy life," Elias said before looking at Tori with an opened bag of Doritos. "Do you mind?"

"What?" Tori crunched her chips.

"We have to pay for the food before you tear into it like a ravenous animal."

"It's not my fault I can't resist the tasty goodness of Doritos."

"Try. I don't want to get kicked out of a grocery store."

Tori rolled her eyes.

Tino's uncles, aunts, and cousins arrived with their carts full of food.

Elias looked at his boys. "Why?"

"Why what?" Pat asked.

"Why do you all need so many carts when sharing a house?"

"I'm sharing a house with you and Ma. Or did you forget?"

"Well, Dad is getting older," Romeo said.

Elias looked at Romeo with an arched brow. "Did you forget I can still beat your ass?"

"That thought hasn't escaped me." Romeo shrugged.