SORRY: For stealing grocery cart

To the one I offended. I hope this is a sufficient apology.

The carts were crowded around the banana display in the produce section. Parking my cart near a pile of lemons in 5-pound bags. On foot I zag between carts and drivers. Quickly snagging zucchini and summer squash, I retreated to my cart, (funny, it’s parked by the tomatoes now?). I move to the far side of produce, near a large bin of watermelon. Then a moment of clarity occurred. This is not my cart! These are not my groceries!

I look back toward the bananas. Shure enough, I see an older man. His face shows strong emotions. I sense somewhere between anger and insanity. My goodness, I am guilty of involuntary gaslighting. My hapless victim is circling a massive stack of bananas, looking for his cart. I panicked. Snatching up my squash from amongst the stranger’s items. I abandoned his cart. I make a wide arc past the lettuce, all the while watching this crazy gentleman. He finds my cart (by the lemons), with no one nearby. Quickly his vision scans about. I scarcely avoid eye contact. Paranoia descends. I must be his primary suspect. Leave my cart and start over or try for retrieval, this is the question. Timing will be everything. The maniac is walking near the watermelon. I make my move. He finds his cart as I reach mine. My escape is unclean. I feel his cold gaze on the back of my neck. Shame. Rapidly I roll to the self-checkout, hoping my damaged target has more shopping to do. 

MICHAEL JAMES WEAVER 

Coeur d’Alene