Snip... snip snip... snip snip snip.
“I see you’ve been clipping coupons from the newspaper again,” observed my husband, Bill, who peered through the hole in the page.
“Oops! I thought you were done with that section,” I replied as I added the new specials to my growing pile.
It looked like some great sale shopping ahead.
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“You know, you never use those things. We either leave them at home, you can’t find them once we get to the store or if you can, they’re expired,” he reminded me.
But today was a new day! In fact, if we would just admit we’re seniors, we could deduct another 10 percent!!
I checked the mirror. Yes, my roots were showing. We’d go for it. After all, anything to save a dime, but I absolutely refused to park in the senior parking spot.
In record time, we raced into the store, my sweaty hands clutching the stack of savings. Back and forth we traversed the aisles, carefully scrutinizing each coupon.
“Nope, it’s not regular Campbell’s soup,” Bill called from his post at the grocery cart. “This one says you’ve got to pick up two '25% less sodium' and two ‘Healthy Request,’ but it can’t be a cream variety.”
One month and a day after entering the store, we arrived at the checkout line, our shopping basket full -- and our good nature on empty.
“We’re seniors!” I shouted as our bounty slid down the conveyor belt.
“And we’ve got coupons!” Bill added as we approached the cash register, flinging the wrinkled wad on top of our merchandise.
We were plumb worn out.
Then I looked into the eyes of the clerk -- one, no doubt, who’d been working long hours. Yet, Wilma made us feel like she was pleased to see our heap of clippings demanding discounts.
We were 50% less stressed out already.
And because of her kind words and infectious smile, we left her check stand with a lighter step, feeling blessed.
I imagine that happens to a lot of people who pass her way at Fred Meyer -- even if they are tired and thrifty seniors who feel a bit snippy.
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