Fright Fest

There comes a critical point in a woman's life in which she must face her fears.  In that pivotal moment, the essence of her femininity blossoms to its full potential.  She rises, and is flooded with the knowledge that she is forever altered.

Today, this fundamental shift in paradigm was mine.  Today, I harnessed from within.  Today... I took Hip Chick to the supermarket.  

But first, a little fun!

I planned a series of small errands together today, culminating in the dreaded grocery stop. First, we ran by our local Party City.  Hip Chick has been excitedly chattering about Halloween and her costume preference as of late and so I thought we could kick off the afternoon with a fun errand.  In retrospect, I should have feared this first agenda item more than the last.  

The store was filled with eager shoppers, hunting for this year's costume of choice.  Hip Chick has become rather emphatic regarding her dress up preference and Mommy was willing to tackle anyone unfortunate enough to prove an obstacle.  The aisles were narrow and foreboding.  Shoppers were reduced to animalistic behaviors, pushing and swerving ahead for their coveted masquerades.  I may have seen one of Harry Potter's Death Eaters hustle someone over a sparkly, lavender, size small Batgirl costume.  The wheelchair did not prevent others from stopping short in front of us, reaching around us, or huffing at our roadblock.  Unfortunately, we learned that her costume of choice is only available online.  I drove that wheelchair out as though it was the Indie 500.

Next, we visited a beloved gelato shop.  I thought that a bit of sugar before our third stop would carry us far.  The gelato patrons were decidedly gentler and kinder than our prior stop.  Someone actually opened the door for us and another offered to carry our order to a table.  Perhaps the likes of strawberry sorbet and salted caramel gelato soothe the mercinary within.  

Lambie came along for the fun as well.

And so it was time for the dreaded supermarket run.  Why was this such a dramatic event for me?  Hip Chick is in her fourth cast.  I did not take her grocery shopping in any of her prior casts.  At the age she was diagnosed, she was too large to carry into a supermarket if I also wanted to carry groceries.  Her prior casts were so awkwardly supported in her stroller that I never felt comfortable with such excurions.  But now, with the wheelchair, these excuses must be overcome.  

I snagged a parking spot facing the exit, lest I knock over sizeable displays of canned goods with the wheelchair and need to break for the car.  As I carefully assembled Hip Chick's wheelchair, I noticed a woman staring at me.  It made me recall a recent breakfast outing with Hip Chick.  We parked a few spaces over from the handicapped spaces.  After assembling her chair, a man (who appeared to walk just fine) walked to his car in the handicapped space and smartly asked whether I really had someone to ride in the wheelchair.  My temper flared.  I may have called him an unflattering name.  Either way, I withheld my remarks this time and eyed this voyeur with my peripheral vision.  She visually inspected Hip Chick quite hard as I pulled her out of my car and onto the chair.  I hope she was satisfied.

My main quandry with grocery shopping was how to carry the groceries.  As Hip Chick's cast provides a rather wide base of support, I cheerily assigned her the task of "Mommy's special helper."  All she needed to do was steady the basket.  I apologize that no photos were taken, lest images of the poor, wheelchair-stricken child relegated to steadying a food basket go viral.

We cheerily zipped through produce and managed to make it past the berries before the first awkward gasp from a stranger.  Hip Chick failed to notice, however, and was thrilled to provide input regarding which bunch of bananas looked best.  Next, we inspected the cheese counter, as Mommy had a special idea in mind for dinner and needed advice.  As the cheesemonger placed our selection into the basket, she cheerily issued a thank you.  Staff were more than eager to help us locate hard-to-find foodstuffs.  We made it to the bakery, on the store's opposite side prior to being huffed and cut in front of by a stranger and I consider this a success.  

We selected enough groceries to fill our handbasket, which isn't much- but more than I could have managed without the wheelchair!  I usually do not accept any offers for help out to my car, but relented this time.  It was worth it.  I silently made a note to bring tip money going forward.

We emerged from shopping to see that we had escaped a rainshower.  It left a rainbow behind to congratulate us.  What a successful afternoon!  Outings require considerably more time and planning now than before... but I can take my baby out now, which is a large impact on our quality of life.