DONNA, START YOUR ENGINE

Every time someone suggested it, I pushed back.

“No, I will not ride a scooter at the county fair.”
“No I will not ride the cart in the supermarket.”
“No, I do not need a scooter!”
“No. No. No. No.”

Then the day came.
We were in the supermarket.
I was a little wobbly on my crutch.

The next thing I knew, my friend rolled up beside me . . . rolling up in one of those electric carts.

“Get in!”

It was not a gentle request.

There comes a time in everyone’s life when you just have to kick pride to the curb!

My day had come.

The truth of the matter is I do not like trying anything new in public. I just don’t like the idea of looking foolish as I learn something new because most of the time I do, look foolish, that is.

In CPR class, I could not get my dummy to breathe.
In a speciality computer class, I could not get my log-in to work.
You already know my ongoing saga in the Kaiser torture room with that dang bike

Yep, I want to figure stuff out in private, then go public with it as though I have always known how to do that thing. I do not like feeling dumb.

Yes, I know; there is another name for that phenomenon: Pride, again.

I gratefully plopped down onto the seat of the cart.

Fear whispered in my ear, “You will look foolish!”

Too late, Fear, I was already seated and besides, my friend was giving me the side-eye.

There were printed instructions on the cart.

Yeah, I rarely do instructions. I like to figure things out on my own. I did not read them.

Name that attitude!

I tentatively pushed a lever on the right.

The cart moved forward.

I pushed the lever on the left.

The cart began to beep (like a truck backing up) and the cart backed up.

I am not sure I am crazy about sounding like a Wide Load backing up.

There are always concessions to be made.

Making the cart go, not so complicated after all.

Right lever, PUSH!

This cart was fully charged, juiced and raring to go!

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!

Well, the boundaries of Pak and Sav, anyway.

As I zoomed down aisles, careened around corners and parallel parked next to the produce and meat counters, I hear a faint voice in the distance.

“Could you please wait for me?”

Hey, this was your idea!

Vroom!

I now enter into stores with a new attitude.

I now roll large and in charge.

By the way:

Hey Target, News Flash!
Parking the carts for the physically challenged in the back of the store away from the front. . .

You might want to reconsider this location.

Before I come in next time.

I’m just saying!