Reply #9: Sign of the times

[FloridaJudy]

I was doing some last minute grocery shopping yesterday, and passed a display of gift cards. They had all kinds: $tarbucks$, Bed Bath and Beyond, iTunes, etc. I thought "aha!" and picked out a grocery store coupon for my son: he can always use groceries, right (if not he can always blow it on beer)? Other than that I don't know what the hell to give him, aside from some inexpensive items I've gathered over the year. He's been living on his own for years now.

A well dressed older woman was scrutinizing the rack, and asked me where the grocery cards were. She picked out one for her daughter. Then she asked me if I thought that the local utility company would allow her to pay her daughter's bills as a Christmas present. It seems her daughter recently got laid off, and has three small children.

{{sigh}}

Expect a lot more of that in the coming days. Grocery cards and utility bills taking precedence over expensive tchotchkes.