About 5 years ago – or so – a big Dutch company bought the Washington, DC grocery chain Giant. Ever since then when I go to Giant, I find something to annoy me.
My family has shopped at Giant at least as long as I’ve been on the planet. Now, staples of life that were always available there have disappeared from the shelves. Giant’s hallmark cleanliness has slipped. The happy and helpful employees are neither. Prices have skyrocketed. There’s no longer a store bakery, just pre-packaged donuts.
Today, I stopped by Giant to pick up supplies for a romantic dinner I’m planning tomorrow night. (More details on this little personal thing will be forthcoming, I promise… depending on how well it goes!) I was shocked to discover that the entire store, in the last month, has been rearranged. One constant over the last 30 years has been the Giant store layout – so much so that I am bewildered in other grocery stores. Well, I had that feeling today at my own Giant. I couldn’t find anything at all.
One thing that was conspicuously missing was, I’m sure, because of the manufacturers: 6-packs of soda in cans. You can now only buy 12- to 24-packs, and you want a 6-pack, you can only buy 20 oz. bottles. Everything is in huge sizes, just perfect for an obese America. I don’t drink sodas anymore, but my… guest does, so I wanted just a small six-pack. Instead, I have 120 ounces of Diet Pepsi.
One more thing – I’m a responsible guy. I haven’t had a third date in many years, and haven’t been intimate with anyone in quite a long time. So, I thought it might be prudent to lay in some… supplies. Wishful thinking, perhaps, but anyway… I’ll report on that later. I promise. At Giant, if you want to buy condoms, you must first track down someone to come open a big ‘ol display case. Gee, not embarrassing at all. I couldn’t find ANYONE. So, after I paid for my groceries, I went down to the drug store.
Did you know that a package of 12 condoms costs $14.00?! Wow – isn’t more than $1 each ridiculous? And people are complaining about gas prices…
I seem to randomly alternate my grocery shopping among a few different stores, so I’m always in a state of product-aisle disorientation. But anyway, good luck with the evening, and I’ll be waiting to read the “details” you promised…