Making Memories at the Grocery Store

Happy weekend my friends. I hope all of you are enjoying the very nice weather that has finally decided to stay around in Northwest Ohio for a while. I know it's late and I have no reason to be awake still. I'm just dealing with another emotional high that sometimes life surprises me with.

I had the pleasure once again of having all three Denton children with me all day today. Yes this happens nearly every weekend but it never grows old. Amy and I had invited a few of our friends over for a cook out tonight. As I explained to these friends it was a cook out because we live in the suburban area of Toledo. It's called a barbecue in the inner city. Actually I don't really know why some folks call them barbecues and others like myself a cook out. I do know that there wasn't any barbecue used today. I digress.

It didn't look like it was going to happen. The friends invited didn't contact us until late in the afternoon to confirm their impending arrival. Since I hadn't heard from them I assumed the cook out was off and turned my energies to other areas of the day. When I learned late in the afternoon that our friends were indeed coming over I scrambled into action. Spenser and I headed out the door and down the street to our local Kroger's grocery store.

Spenser was his usual self while shopping with me. He likes it when I race the grocery cart (or buggy in the south) around the store. He was quite humorous in his dialogue with me like he normally is. I'm not sure what other shoppers or store employees think of the two of us while we race around the store. I can only imagine them wondering who is supposed to be the adult in the situation. We whipped around the store buying Angus sirloin and hot dogs and buns and chips and pie and ice cream. We finally made it around to the check out area and went through the self check out lanes. Spenser helped hand me the items we were purchasing while I scanned and bagged, the whole time chattering like the kids we both are. When we had scanned all the items I put two twenties into the machine to pay for the $32 and some change purchase. When the machine spit out a five and two ones Spenser proclaimed rather loudly, "Wow Dad it gave you more money back than you put in." I immediately questioned the A's he received in first grade math this past school year.

I explained to him that I had less money after purchasing the groceries because I had to pay for what we were taking with us. He replied, "Wouldn't it be neat Dad if everything here were free?" I started to notice people around us smiling and seeming to find amusement in our conversation. I notified Spenser that it would indeed be neat if groceries were free but like most things in life they weren't. The conversation continued while we loaded our bags into our shopping cart (or buggy) and we began to walk towards the exit. An older gentleman, I guessed to be in his late 60's, happened to exit the self scan aisle with us. He patted me on the shoulder and chuckled about how Spenser and I reminded him of his own son many years ago. I looked at the old timer and noticed a tear spilling from his eye as he chuckled at us. He walked to the exit of the store with us the whole time telling us about how often his own son would say humorous things when he was young. We talked a little as we worked our way through the late afternoon shopping rush. He informed us that his son was now fully grown and that he had two grandsons that were now his pride and joy. As we parted ways in the parking lot, heading towards our respective vehicles he again patted my shoulder and remarked how fast time seemed to fly as your children grew. As he turned to head his own way I noticed him smiling from ear to ear having obviously been reminded of pleasant times in life.

As we loaded the groceries into the Jeep Spenser noted how "nice that guy" seemed to be. As we got into our vehicle to head home to prepare for our cook out (or barbecue if you will) Spenser seemed to almost read my mind. Out of nowhere he asked if I sometimes missed Papaw, my Father who passed away a year and a half ago. Why this older gentleman reminded me of my own father I can't really be sure, but the fact was he had. With a tear beginning to trail out of my own eye I notified Spenser that I did indeed miss Papaw nearly every day. I know that at nearly 7 years of age Spenser will likely never remember this particular shopping trip to Kroger's. I however, much like the old-timer we bumped into, will likely look back fondly on this memory for years and years and years.

This is why I ask God to open my heart and mind to whatever adventure he has in store for me each day. The cook out and fellowship with friends was amazing by the way.