The impression I got was "I lived through it, I've got mine, to hell with everyone else." Nice, huh. Oh, and these very people were about to attend a candidate debate that included those running for the DE Senate seat to replace Joe Biden (the VeePee) and one is the teabagger nutcase, Christine O'Donnell who wants, among other things, to ban masturbation, hates LGBT folks with an uncanny, irrational mindset, and who makes Sarah Palin look like a Rhodes Scholar. Enuf' said. Doubt that I'll elaborate on this crazy one.
It was disappointing to hear people my age who've survived, thrived, show no emotion regarding the current situation involving our young folks. Again, I detected an attitude of "I had no one to help and support me, so why should I support these kids." Maybe it IS true that we turn into our oppressors. I hope not.
Back tracking to Tuesday and the Hunting Adventure. The Gen. Mgr. picked me up promptly at 8 am. We arrived at the IKEA in Pennsylvania at 10:10 am (the store opened at 10 am. - good timing) and oh - my - G*d I was blown away. The place is huge and as she steered me through the maze of departments, stopping here and there to test a piece of furniture, I had an epiphany. This is where I was supposed to be for useful, decorative, practical furnishings for a small apartment.
Having gone online and printing pictures, specs, and location of the items I liked, I thought we'd head to these areas first, but that's not how the store is organized and I am SO glad it isn't. I found almost everything I was looking for in the most surprising places. I found the 3 items I was hunting for - apartment size sofa, chair, and bookcase - over the course of an hour, throwing away printed pages I brought with me. I came home with more than I hoped to find, adding a few new words to my vocabulary. Words like KLIPPAN, EXPEDIT, EKTORP, LEKMAN, and KNIPSA.
I also purchased a few kitchen items and the total still came in under what was budgeted for. Well, not in the budget, exactly, but what I planned to put on a credit card. With the extra pieces the total was $45.00 less than expected.
The GM picked up a few cabinets for herself (renovating the kitchen of the house recently purchased, and we made our way to the aisles and bins containing our purchases. Ten minutes, 2 flat carts and a shopping cart later, we were in the checkout line. Another 15 minutes and the truck was loaded and we were homeward bound. On the way the GM stopped at what I think has to be the largest wine store in this country. The size of a supermarket it boasted wines from even the most obscure countries one would never imagine producing a fine wine.
Arrived at my place and the GM pulled the truck into the driveway next to my apt. We (she) unloaded the goods spreading everything around the living room floor. As she began to rip off the packaging I took the smaller items into the kitchen or bedroom where I began to unpack and assemble those requiring it. I thought she would be finished with me and would head home, but I was very wrong. We put the sofa together then she disappeared and returned with a bottle of wine just purchased; handed it to me and asked, "you have a corkscrew? good, open it and pour two glasses."
As I did so, she began to assemble the bookcase (without my help) telling me - as I handed her a glass of a new Cabernet - that she had put many of these together and it would be best if I just kept her glass refreshed, which I did.
When it was assembled, her bottle consumed, I opened a bottle of Merlot and we sat on the new sofa, sipping wine and resting our glasses on the tray of the storage ottoman I purchased for just this purpose (Turn over the top reveals a serving tray) and it felt so right. Now, 2 bottles of wine under normal circumstances would bring on a buzz in the best of us, but we had no breakfast and only a hot dog for lunch. And this is when she opened up...
Sorry, it's not meant to be a cliffhanger, I need to process this more so I don't get all teary-eyed when I finally write this part of the "hunting trip" - I just need to understand it more to write and do justice to the moment.
Besides, I am pretty overwhelmed, and mentally exhausted by events of the past week. The brain is on overload...
And so it goes.
*
W, you did well on your shopping trip. Next time have a breakfast at Ikea, it wont cost that much.
ReplyDeleteMy black bookcases are 30 year old and the lighter ones 20 y.o. Billy's. Timeless.
I look forward to you continuing the story.
ReplyDeleteI want to comment that I did not wear purple on Spirit day*, but it had nothing to do with my lack of support for the cause or an attitude of 'I've got mine, screw you". I am pleased to read that there was such visible support in your community.
(*I actually was only out of the house to walk the dog around it, so it was rather mute.)
@Lem: your circumstances are quite different. We all understand that. These people are OUT, smug and self-satisfied, no doubt about it.
ReplyDelete@Peter: it was an eye-opening day. I loved it. Will have a meal there on the next visit to purchase 2 more EXPEDIT bookcases and storage units.