Phobia...

Call me crazy, but I have the strangest phobia...most people are afraid of normal things like spiders, heights, or small spaces. I fear some things such as this (eek! snakes), but none of them get me going like my newest adult-onset fear...when I encounter this "thing," strange things start to happen. My heart starts racing. I start to sweat, and I come up with any excuse not to be in that situation. What could it be, you ask?  What could cause (and actually has caused) a grown woman to get so upset? Walmart....yes, the store that is in almost every town in America causes me to have horrible, horrible anxiety...is there some kind of therapy for this? I highly doubt it...

Obviously, I haven't always had this problem. I use to LOVE shopping there, and I was ecstatic when a Supercenter came to my town. What a convenience to have a store where I could find everything in one place! What a great way to spend a few hours! Milk?--check! Dog food?--check! Tires?--check! My family loved it, too...we had a running joke that if my dad was missing, we could count on him being at the local store looking for an excuse to buy something.

Slowly over the years, however, going here became a chore and even something that I refused to do alone. Of course, there were a few reasons for this about-turn: 1. Both my parents died and in the months following that time I could not bear to be in large crowds....2. I realized that my time was sacred and at a premium, and I resented the time "wasted"..3. I paid attention to the media and realized what BIG business was doing to America [and if you look up BIG BUSINESS in the dictionary, Walmart's picture would be there]. Add these reasons to the fact that the Walmart closest to my house is frequented by some of the least appealing people on earth and you have a huge panic attack waiting to happen.

Don't get me wrong, I HAVE to still shop here...their prices are the lowest and in times like these I cannot ignore that. However, I have made a vow [OK, that's a really strong word] to only go twice a month and then when I do, I will drag my husband with me. This week, however, we discovered a little secret. While out late shopping in Durham, we had to stop at Walmart in Holly Springs, a town just outside Raleigh, on our way home. Believe it or not, the aisles were empty! There was hardly anyone in the store and we could shop in peace. In fact, as the pictures below demonstrate, we even actually had [gulp] fun while getting groceries. I think that the town of Holly Springs resents the fact that Walmart came to town, which I can completely understand. As a result, the store is rarely packed, unlike the one near my home. I don't mind the thirty minute drive if it means that I can do what I need to do and then get out...I sure can think of a million other activities to be doing...