My first day here over 5 years ago, I needed to buy groceries. Barry had been living on moldy bread and peanut butter. As yummy as that sounded, I declined his offer of a sandwich. So braving the 110-degree July heat, Mom & I set off to find the post grocery store, aka the commissary. But I didn't know only military ID holders could enter. Poor Mom sat in the car for an hour while I fumbled down the aisles and waited in the endless checkout line. Between the heat and the pressure of shopping in a foreign environment, I was frazzled. The nice bagger-man offered to take my groceries to my car. After he loaded them into my trunk, he informed me I was to pay him a tip. I had no cash and was dumbfounded by the 40-ish man's blatant demand for reciprocation. Mom handed him a dollar, and we drove away.
But I didn't realize that I needed a map to get back to our duplex. We drove around for an hour or so before I found a familiar road. Direction-challenged on Indiana's straight, N-S & E-W roads, streets that follow a curving mountain range finished the destruction of my inner compass. I managed to laugh with Barry about the day's events, but that one experience frustrated me enough to hang up my car keys. I didn't go anywhere by myself for 5 months--and then only because Kari flew down for a visit and offered to get lost with me.
Since then I've lived here by myself during deployment and FTXs (field training exercises). Thanks to new friends and trusty online map services, I've managed to find my way to most places in this border city. I've even given a few tours. No longer an ignoramus to the inner-workings of military shopping, I'm even grateful for the tips-only baggers at the commissary. They're truly lifesavers when I'm wrestling to keep 4 kids from putting every piece of check-out candy on the conveyer belt.
Ah, that wonderful thing known as change. I've managed to adjust without wanting to end my life. Of course now that I'm embracing military life in the desert, we'll probably get orders and have to start all over. :)
3 comments:
Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging! I hope you enjoy navigating your way through rekindling old friendships, building some new ones, laughing at the adventures of others and even shedding a few tears. I'm so excited that you've joined this somewhat "unnatural" community of those of us spread across the miles, but close in heart. Look forward to dropping in on your site!
OK, you're making my blog look like a fourth grader wrote it. Ignoramus?? I dont' think I even spelled it correctly. At least I do know what it means :)
How did I get to visit the commissary without a military ID when Bryan was in the hospital? I went with one of your friends.
OK So I'm not an ignoramus because I spelled it correctly without looking back at your blog, assuming, of course, that you spelled it correctly :)
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