The yellow tablet paper crumples in the tight grasp of your shaky, wrinkled hand
The list is long today
Standing in the entrance of the superstore there is much to be accomplished
Rrrrrrrrrkkkkkkk your cart squeaks as the wheels push against the concrete
Your journey through the enormous warehouse begins

A carton of cold creamy vanilla ice cream is first
Vanilla is simple and sweet and goes well with almost everything
It’s a classic flavor one can’t help but love
His easy-going manner is comfortering like a soft scoop of vanilla ice cream on a warm summer day

A box of the bluest berries are next
These special bursts of fruit must be very specific
Each one is filled with a different story ready to be discovered and shared
But they must be eaten fast before they shrivel up, and are forgotten

Navel oranges are the halfway mark of the shopping trip
Like the peel of an orange, you’ve slowly been able to tear apart the insides of the warehouse
The inside is sweeter than the juice of the ripest orange
And the experience sticks more than any sugary liquid ever could

Green tea is the fourth item on the list
85 bags in a box
The longer the tea is in the warm water, the more flavorful it becomes
There is an emotional attachment to the tea
It’s gotten you through friend drama and the pains of growing up
A life without is is unimaginable

Bread is one of the most consistent items on the list
In the beginning of the trip, the bread is strong
But as the trip gets closer and closer to the end
It weakens
There’s nothing you can do to stop this
Nature can’t be stopped from taking its course

The final item on the list is red wine
A whiff of the savory grape delicacy tells you that your time in the store is almost up
It takes years to make the perfect wine
Once it’s finally done the flavor is better than anything you’ve ever tasted
The time put into making it is worth every second

Then before you know it, it’s time to checkout and pay for your items
The trip that seemed to go on forever is suddenly over
Anything you forgot to get is no longer available
You’re only left with the items you put in your cart

And as quickly as you came into the warehouse
You leave
You can’t turn back around
Or change your mind on an item
You have to keep moving forward
And be grateful for what you got out of the trip to the warehouse