April 27 – “A maintenance plan: milk and a movie”

We went to WalMart yesterday.  Exciting entry, huh?  My list included but two things, both critical to continued participation on the planet.  First and foremost, chocolate milk.  Since the grandkids have discovered that DadDad jeeps a stash of the good stuff – the kind that you don't have to mix to create – it has become difficult to maintain adequate levels of reserves to cover my daily recommended dosage.  I use it to assist in the administration of medical maintenance (taking my morning collection of nine pills).  At least Chris requires that they mix it with some regular milk.  Something about it being too rich otherwise.  Pass me some of that Too Rich.   The second item on my list was nothing so crucial to maintaining health and pain control.  Instead this one would provide a sense of partial closure to an installment of life experience that has thus far been gratifying.  Partial closure?  Because it only portrays the first part of the concluding event in the history of … (drumroll here) … the Harry Potter series.  That's right.  The next to last Harry Potter movie hit the WalMart shelves last Friday.  Chris and I went to the theater to see it, so this purchase was strictly a nostalgic one, a reminder of that romantic interlude.  Besides, now I can watch it with subtitles and see what all nuances of language I missed because of hearing aid operational fluctuations.   We did add an item or two to the cart to supplement my list.  Chris got some plant food.  Not that she intends to violate the mandatory save water order we are under.  The pipe that provides the island with water burst over on the mainland.  We aren't supposed to do anything other than drink it or cook with it or bathe in it until Thursday or so.  We grabbed a few pieces of Easter candy, though not much was left.  It was down to 75% off.  And then we went to check out.   And that's where my Key Event of the Day happened (Sounds like a segment on Sports Center).  As we reached our turn in the check out line, the checker greeted us warmly and asked, "So how did your class go?"  OK.  I was bumfuzzled.  She was a regular who has been there a long time, so I recognized her, but only one other time has a clerk recognized me back.  That was when I brought in a fried turkey leg one year to the clerk who checked us out when bought the raw turkey.  I was sure she was referring to something I had said at an earlier meeting, but I just couldn't make a connection.  She obviously saw my distress, and hastened to help me out.   "The class you taught on the Fruit of the Spirit."  That was it.  The memory rushed back like a flood.  She had checked me out when I bought the many different kinds of fruit for that sermon a few weeks ago.  We laughed and talked about how nasty mangos and papayas taste.   And I finally saw the results of actually being nice to the person checking you out at the grocery store.  I'll look for her again next time we are in.  We are getting low on fresh pineapple …   Zechariah 8:16-17 says, "These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this, declares the Lord."   Father, help me to stay alert to the real people all around me.  They matter to you.  Amen.