Shopped!

(Author on holiday and unable to respond to comments.)

When SUNDAY SCRIBBLINGS suggested the topic 'AGING' I don't suppose they had pure evil in mind!


SHOPPED!

When Jake was at the Supermarket looking round the place,

A certain grey-haired lady started gazing at his face.

Along each aisle he met her; he'd look-up, she'd be there.

She was such a dear old lady, with her curly silver hair.

If he paused beside the frozen peas, he'd find her at his side,

And, by the bread, he noticed how she mopped her eyes and cried.

Her gaze seemed fixed upon him in a way that was intense.

And Jake felt quite uncomfortable; it didn't make much sense.

Suddenly, she clutched his arm and began to whisper low,

'I must tell you why I look at you; I feel you ought to know.

You remind me of my son, you see. He died quite recently.

He was the apple of my eye and meant so much to me.'

Jake felt so very sorry that he listened for a while,

Although the other shoppers found them blocking up the aisle.

'I've got to catch my bus now' the little old lady said,

' But you've made me feel much better about my son who's dead.

One more thing, would thrill me, though,  if you felt that you could do it;

As I'm heading for the exit, you know, just as I get to it,

Could you call out 'Goodbye, Mum!' just as he used to do?

It would make me feel so happy to hear those words from you.'

Jake said that he would call out in the way that she recalled,

And he watched her reach the exit and 'Goodbye Mum!' he called.

Then he took up his one purchase and joined the line to pay,

Knowing that he'd only spent the minimum that day.

Imagine his surprise when'Fifty Dollars!' was the bill!

He very quickly questioned the young man behind the till.

' There's only one item here for you' he heard the assistant say;

'All the rest is for your Mother!

She said you'd be glad to pay!'