Our vacation this year took us back to the City of Provo in Utah. We went there last year and the wife and kids liked it enough to want to go again. My brother Kyle lives in Provo, so we were able to save a bit on room and board while we are there. My parents and a niece and nephew were also going to meet us there. My brother Jed even decided to join us for the last two days of our trip.
Our trip began on the Thursday evening before 4th of July weekend. We like to leave in the evening, because we can have the kids sleep during the drive, the weather is usually cooler, and we don't really have to deal with traffic. The downside of doing this is that the driver usually is running low on sleep and sometimes takes quick naps while driving. I did get a bit worried that it was going to be a long trip when we entered the on-ramp of the freeway and Jackson asked, "Are we half way there yet?". However, he fell asleep and we didn't have any problems with the kids.
Perhaps I was jealous of all the sleeping going on in the car. About 4 or 5 hours into the drive my eyelids were getting heavy. I decided to make a stop and try and get something to wake me up. But what place would be open at that hour? You guessed it! Walmart. I pulled off the freeway and made it to the Walmart parking lot. I had seen enough commercials for 5-hour Energy that I decided to give it a try.
I went inside and found one in the check-out line along with a king-sized Whatchamacallit. Now it would seem like a pretty quick and simple task to pick up two items in the actual check-out line and get back to the car, but we were dealing with Walmart very early in the morning. There were two lines open and one had about 3 people in it. The other only had one. I chose to get in the line with one person. It was at that point that I had woken up enough to start realizing my surroundings. This Walmart was being run by a group of elderly women. None of them appeared to be younger than 70, and that is being generous. The checker for the line I was in was swiping the card of the lady in front of me over and over and over and over again. It just wasn't working for her, but that didn't keep her from trying over and over and over and over again. Eventually the other checker stopped helping the person in her line and came over to give it a try. She did some sort of magical swipe and there was success. At least that is what it seemed like. The checker went back to her own line and continued to help her customer. Then this happened:
Checker in my line: What does this $1.98 mean?
Checker in the other line: It means that her card didn't cover all of the bill and she still owes $1.98.
Lady in line in front of me: Oh! I'll be back. (She proceeds to briskly exit the store leaving all of her items in the cart).
Checker in my line: Where did she go?
Checker in my line: I'm sorry. I don't know where she went. Do you think she just left?
Other elderly Walmart lady: I'm not sure.
Checker in my line: I can't help you until we finalize this transaction sir. I'm sorry.
Me: O.K.
Checker in my line: Hey 5-hour Energy. I tried that tonight. It doesn't seem to be working.
Thoughts in my head: What are you doing trying that for? Do you not realize you are like 80 years old? Oh great! I'm going to have to try and treat this lady for a heart attack if I don't get out of here soon.
Me: Hey, why don't we do this? I'll pay you the 2 bucks, and she can pay me back when she comes back. That way we can get this line moving.
Checker in my line: That is so nice of you.
Thoughts in my head: Anything to get me out of trying to save your life. Seriously, why are you taking 5-hour Energy? And how is this store even functioning at all? Why hasn't anyone targeted this place for a big time robbery? I might have to hit this place on the way back home.
Checker in my line: (Finishes my transaction) O.K. That should be all. Thanks again.
Lady previously in front of me in line: (spoken in a winded tone) O.K. I have the rest of the money.
Checker in my line: This gentleman paid it for you.
Lady previously in front of me in line: Thank you. Here you go. (Hands me a bunch of change).
So, it only took about a half an hour to get two things already in the check-out line at Walmart. If it wasn't for peopleofwalmart.com, I would probably complain about this.
The 5-hour Energy did great and I made it to Provo without further incident. We were ready to get the vacation started.
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