The Indictment

I drove to HEB (that's a Texas grocery store chain) last night around 9:00. I was hoping to find short lines, but people were still there by the hundreds. I haven't been to a grocery store since Monday of last week. No real reason to go. I was surprised to find meat on the shelves. And ice cream and frozen pizza and yogurt.

I put my few purchases in my basket and went to get in the very long checkout lines. The "express" line was not going to be any faster than any other line, so I chose one. Most people were like me. They had 4 or 5 items at most. As the cashier started to check out my goods (that sounds weird, but I've rewritten that sentence a bunch of times and it always sounds bad) the bag boy (is that what they are called?) started putting my groceries in a bag when he stopped, looked up at me, and said "You have power, don't you?," his tone dripping with the sound of indictment.

I looked down, afraid to make eye contact, totally understanding that sound in his voice as I have asked that same question many times in the last 11 days. "yes" I mumbled weakly. "i just got it an hour ago."

I HAVE POWER!!!!! I bought milk, eggs and creamer for my coffee. That was it. I have heard too many stories about people's power coming on and then going off again. In a few days, maybe I will go buy groceries. But for now, I slept in my own bed, took a shower in my own bathroom, blow dried my hair AND did two loads of laundry. And that was enough.

All that to say, I have power. yeah. But I still have MANY friends who do not. So I will celebrate in a small way.