Speed shopping

Was in the UK for a month, away from home.. and I have to confess, it made me weak, turned me into a shell of what I used to be..
I got used to waiting casually in line to purchase groceries, slowly filling up my bag with help from the cashier, smiling and chit-chatting with strangers on random issues… And people in the line patiently waiting and even joining in on the convo.

Well, the family and I got back late last night. Like, take the night bus or a cab home from the Bahnhof hosting the last train out of Schwechat late. When a kasekrainer seems like a logical and healthy choice of a late night snack late.

I woke up this morning to an empty fridge and decided to surprise the munchkins and wifey with some real, down to earth breakfast and not the porridge or beans we had each morning while there. I needed some real Brot, not the yeast filled, white toastie slices, but something real. With Roggen or dinkel or Nüssen type of real.. When you take a bit, it fills you up kind of bread.

So I made the mistake of going shopping to Lidl. Not a Mistake actually given it was the only option.
Our local Hofer was shut down for renovation and you pay an arm and a leg for veggies at billa plus. Also had the option of penny, but they don’t have the freshest stuff.

So I end up going to Lidl as said. Walk in, the shopping cart attracts my attention:about half the size of the oversized cadillacs at Tesco. I’ve attached a photo of the frozen foods aisle at Tesco, it’s the size of a whole billa or penny here. How many frozen food varieties do you need, am I right?

I can put spices on my potatoes, that you. don’t need a whole aisle of potatoes with different spices highlighted in each package now, do I?

So I begin shopping, first thing that attracts my attention is the price of paprika. I’m like, oh my, what happened here in the last month? Did everything go to ish?
But my qualms were eased when I saw the price on the mixed grapes: 1.79
Oh yeah
Now we’re talking. Inflation is manageable. Eat less and be happy.
I fill my cart up with fruits and veggies and goodies, unaware of the reality check about to head my way. I give up on the bread when I see the options at Lidl and decide to stop by a real bakery on the way back.

So I squeeze my way into the que, line up the food items and realize people are looking at me disfavourably.

As the cashier starts ringing up my items, behind the plastic piece, a remnant of corona times, I notice there’s no room for her to slide the items onto.

Oh my! I have to quickly slot them into the cart, either that or the people lined up will give me the look again. This soil piercing, passive aggressive glance filled with condemnation. You know what I’m talking about.

I take a deep breath and begin quickly loading up the cart. But the cashier is faster than me and the items are piling up at lightning speed.

As I manage to fill the cart and say “mit der Karte bitte”, i hear a sigh of relief from the line. I manage to obtain the approval of my fellow citizens with my lightning reflexes and get in my morning workout: a small step for me but a tremendous leap for austrian shoppers.
Thank you for reading 🙂

by Inconspicuouswriter