Back to school supplies
Walking through Wal-Mart’s automatic doors, I am always bombarded by so many products that I’m surprised they’re not their own country. Talk about GNP.
As the masses pass by the main entrance, there are the aisles that promote the seasonal product. In January, it’s lovey-dovey for Valentine’s Day. In March, it’s eggs and bunnies for Easter. Etc. Etc.
Back to school time happens during the muggy month of August. You’ll find rows upon rows of pens and pencils, paper and notebooks, binders, calculators, extra strength Tylenol and Ritalin.
The image of mothers tugging at their screaming kids, pushing a shopping cart, filled with miscellaneous school supplies brings back memories. Or it does to the average adult since that never happened with me when I was a child.
Our shopping excursions entailed a small basket filled with one or two packages of 10 cent paper, a 10-pack of multi-coloured Bic pens that lasted for years, a white eraser, a bottle of Liquid Paper, and if I was really, really good, some new binders.
One year, my mother purchased everything using Canadian Tire money. That’s right, the store's currency – all of our supplies were paid with the Monopoly-ish moolah. And, being from a frugal family, if I accidentally lost or destroyed anything, I didn’t get anything else. That was the unwritten house rule: take care of what you got ‘cause you ain’t gettin’ any more.
So, I did.
As the masses pass by the main entrance, there are the aisles that promote the seasonal product. In January, it’s lovey-dovey for Valentine’s Day. In March, it’s eggs and bunnies for Easter. Etc. Etc.
Back to school time happens during the muggy month of August. You’ll find rows upon rows of pens and pencils, paper and notebooks, binders, calculators, extra strength Tylenol and Ritalin.
The image of mothers tugging at their screaming kids, pushing a shopping cart, filled with miscellaneous school supplies brings back memories. Or it does to the average adult since that never happened with me when I was a child.
Our shopping excursions entailed a small basket filled with one or two packages of 10 cent paper, a 10-pack of multi-coloured Bic pens that lasted for years, a white eraser, a bottle of Liquid Paper, and if I was really, really good, some new binders.
One year, my mother purchased everything using Canadian Tire money. That’s right, the store's currency – all of our supplies were paid with the Monopoly-ish moolah. And, being from a frugal family, if I accidentally lost or destroyed anything, I didn’t get anything else. That was the unwritten house rule: take care of what you got ‘cause you ain’t gettin’ any more.
So, I did.
I was so careful with all of my school supplies, I still have my first set of Crayola crayons that was given to me in senior kindergarten. Hardly ever been used. Pristine condition.
To this day, I still have most of my school supplies from grade school. Further proof that if you're taught something from a very young age (while instilling fear in your heart), it'll stick.
Which reminds me, anyone want some paper?
Authored by S at 12:00 am
2 Comments:
Do you have a built-in sharpener in the back?
(Why does everything I say sound dirty?)
Six: Use a click pencil.
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