The Original Wally World-Friendly and Peaceful
Well, sometimes when you run out of something or must have something NOW, the only winning option is a trek down to the ubiquitous local Wal Mart Wally World. I think it was picture frames for the next day’s Wedding Shower and some protein shakes for my wife that drove us into the cavernous thunder dome of noise and odd sights that serves as the local Valhalla for what a friend of mine once derisively labelled ‘America’s Great Unwashed.’ Better half likes Wally since he provides electric scooters to get around in and after some hip, leg and knee surgery that is a deal breaker/maker.
I don’t get out enough either, so I started to wander the aisles while picture frames were selected, rejected and reconsidered. The 50-cent cherry pie almost got me before I realized fridge was already stuffed with sweets I can truly do without. Ahead of me, near the refrigerated section for the eggs and cheese, I happened to notice a gentleman around whom all of the passing traffic seemed to be giving a wide berth. As I drew nearer, I could begin to hear him muttering, mumbling and swearing, and not at all under his breath: “F*cking Biden. I hope he chokes to death. His kids should all be roasted in hell. He f*cked up this whole damn country. G*d Damn Demonrat, commie, wants me to pay 5$ for a dozen eggs!” All of this as he opened and closed at least the third box of eggs, apparently searching for one that had 13 eggs in it. Sometimes curiosity, consternation or cruelty (?!) gets the better of me and I feel a need to respond and engage, while hoping not to inflame or enrage. I did have on my I Support Ukraine T-shirt, which generally divides others into pro and con factions pretty quickly but generally passes without interaction.
“Dude, your mouth is leaking.” says I. He sort-of looked halfway up from his latest batch of overpriced, must touch but not buy chicken embryos and says: “I was just thinking out loud.” OK. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt on the ability to think but have to just admit continuing amazement at the effectiveness of the mind manipulation that take places within a certain news and cultural cocoon. As I had breached his previously-identified-by-shoppers security zone of about 8 feet, I too quickly backed off into the safe zone. Better find spouse and get the hell out of Dodge before the big dick energy open-carry thugettes find a new cause celebre in the Righteous Egg Man. Goo Goo Ga Joob.
I guess what I am wondering is, did I overstep the bounds of good taste, sanity or decorum with my comment to this unknown entity? Was there something I could have said that might have done anyone any good? I did mutter something about Biden certainly (not) being responsible for the increase in Avian flu that is killing off all the egg-layers, but I doubt Egg Man heard me. Myself, I can live without those little cholesterol bombs until the price comes down or maybe just get a breakfast-burrito at Taco Bell.
