Counting Pennies

I live down the road from a pretty affluent 'hood.

Everyone drives a very expensive car and live in million dollar condos that overlook the ocean.

They wear tons of diamonds and get dressed up to grocery shop.

Its the land a expensive haircuts and silicone and collagen.

There are two age groups to this hood. There is the wealthy "over 70" and the wealthy "40 something".

When we shop at their grocery stores - I am always behind the old lady draped in gold that is paying for her exclusive $20 olive oil in pennies. I breathe deep and suck my teeth.

HB tells me that I need to understand that they are on a limited budget and need to use patience as they count their pennies.

I say - If your on a limited budget you don't need $20 olive oil. Maybe she needs to hawk a bracelet or two - if she's living on pennies.

But there is the other side. The younger well groomed riche. They don't shop at the Winn Dixie - they shop at the Fresh Market (a small upscale grocery store with organic fruits and ready made meals).

I like their tomatoes - at 1.99 a pound its a little higher than the neighboring store - but you can tell the difference in flavor and I was making a tomato salad so I needed 3.

So - they drive up in their Mercedes Benz and then fill the cart up with snacks.

The lady I was behind yesterday was something that you would see walking around Beverly Hills. She was perfection. She had her elderly parents with her and they were clutching a bag of almonds for her to purchase.

The cashier starts her thing and the woman who is now on her cell phone stops...

"That coffee is 50% off!"

The cashier looks at the $7.99 per pound coffee and says "We don't have anything in the store that's 50% off".

"There is a huge sign - and why would I lie?"

(OH COME ON!!!!!!)

The girl looks at her and rerings the coffee.

(YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!)

The cashier resumes.....

".98 per pound for Eggplant?" Balks the woman again.

(FOR THE SAKE OF ALL THINGS HOLY PLEASE LET ME PAY FOR MY THREE TOMATOES!)

"I am sure that they were cheaper." she continued.

The cashier stops and looks at her price sheet and says... "$.98 per pound Organic Eggplant, That's what you have."

The woman says , "Ok, never mind." and then resumes her conversation with her watchful eye on the screen as the cashier scans her parents nuts.

The woman pulls out a Platinum AmEx and pays for her $22.00 purchase and heads out the door. Her parents shuffling behind her as she get in her $65,000.00 car.

Is she pinching pennies? I don't think so.

It is now my turn and I am doing my deep breathing and trying to be Zen and centered.

The cashier rings my three tomatoes "That will be $4.25".

"What they're not on sale? " I am smirking and winking at her. (LADY ITS A JOKE!)

She goes to grab her price list.

"I'm Kidding!!!"

She actually looked a little amused by my funny - but it made me think...

If all these people walk in and person after person questions every dime that you scan I can see how you would just take their word for it after a while.

It's easier to comply that argue. Because believe me - this group of people will argue a point into the ground. Who can blame her?

I then took out my wallet and proceeded to pay in pennies.(j/k)