Triple Threat

Yesterday Linda asked me to pick up some stamps at Costco. I wasn’t aware the Costco sold stamps but she assured me, “They sell a big package of those new forever stamps. And they’re the ones on strips rather than the roll,” she added.

It’s always odd waiting in the checkout line in Costco when you don’t have anything to put down on the big black conveyor belt. Most tend to have huge cartloads which makes those with one or two items stand out. Take the elderly couple behind me for example. They had a cart brimming with cuts of beef, canned vegetables, and the largest box of Depends I’ve ever seen. Noticing it made me a bit uncomfortable for them, but they seemed fine and focused their energy on pushing me forward so they could begin unloading their cart. Still, I directed my eyes forward out of respect for the elderly.

In front of me was a pudgy woman with a thick black braid that hung halfway down her back. She wore an acid washed denim jacket and a big pink bow tied at the end of the braid. I wondered if so much hair felt heavy, then noticed she had only two items on the belt, which made me completely forget her hair noose. Costco tends to sell things in value packs of two. This woman’s items consisted of a double pack of latex self-exam gloves and a double pack of aspirin. The packaging on the gloves read, “Now with textured finger tips!” Worried my mind would wander to places nobody should go; I looked to the man in front of her.

He was an odd looking Hispanic man with a sour face. Standing not much above four feet he was nearly as big around and teetered on top of spindly legs. His purchase was a single double pack item. I leaned forward just a bit to get a closer look and what I came away with was a real eye opener. A two pack of stool softener! I watched as he paid then went straight to the food counter and asked for a cup of water, which, at least might have explained the sour face.