esrosedotblog

I visited my friends at Ralphs* this morning.

As in Ralphs super market.

I go twice a week religiously. Tuesday and Friday at 6AM. The agoraphobics' hour. Also the best time to get fresh produce, yak with the staff and generally enjoy the process of roaming the aisles.

There was nothing particular about today. It was so normal. Some of the customers are familiar, a nod and a faint "hi". Some staff are old acquaintances. Some short visits. They are working after all. I am shopping.

I like the guys who are still stocking the shelves from the night shift. This is an especially busy store. I hear one of their best performers, dollars per square foot. So it is a constant replenishment. Start at one end and then go back and do it again. And again. There is one guy who mostly does nothing but take care of the corrugated. It is an assembly line operation. The shelvers shelve and leave the unflattened box for him to pick up. These go in back to a baler then all is taken away.

I am chummy with the bakery lady whose sense of responsibility is so great that I dare not ask for directions to a certain item or serve up any questions. She will relentlessly leave her assigned work and finish whatever errand she sets out upon at my request.

I don't know any of the meat people. They are not there when I shop. Later, 630AM I think. But the shelf items are so complete and the selection so good that I never have to ask anyway. That would be the night staff doing its work. Not so long ago, something happened and the meat display was desolated. Nothing there. It turned out that the night crew had some emergency or other. I waited until next time.

Today was smooth sailing. I like the morning manager, Jim. He is always up for some badinage. He is their best bagger. Funny. Work your way up to the top and the customer values your bagging skills above all other. Besides we get to shoot the shit while he is doing it. The checkers love him and his talk so it is a good entertainment all around.

There would be none of this later in the day. I have gone in there and it is fucking bedlam. People wall to wall, ten checkout lanes in operation. Electronic signs controlling the crowds through the lanes.

I like the old fashioned pace of the morning hours. No one in a hurry. No one pushing from behind. Time for thought and consideration.

* No apostrophe. Ralphs.

Labels: food, shopping