By Mike Morris - Apr 14, 2020 | 1 comment

Thank you to our grocery store heroes.

‘Okay, who’s next? Aisle number two is open for business. Come on down!”

I felt like I was on The Price is Right. I felt like I had just gained access to an exclusive club. It was exciting. It was up lifting. It was fun.

It was the checkout line at my local Hannaford Supermarket.

The local grocery store has taken on a new significance in our daily lives. About a month ago, it was about what wasn’t available. There were empty shelves. There was frustration in the aisles. There were no carrots, canned black beans or crackers. We do eat a lot of peanut butter, but who knew that it was such an essential food? We started making bread, then ran out of flour. When the toilet paper shortage ran on, my buddy, Jeff, said he knew why he’d saved all those old T-shirts with the holes in them over the years. As this universal curveball has continued, the grocery stores have adapted very quickly. We’re pretty fortunate in our corner of the world. I’ve learned to notice smiles behind masks. I’ve learned to slow down, and look around, before I dive into the produce section. I take what I touch (which has not always been the case).

I’ve been doing the grocery shopping for our family for the past month. One thing I’ve noticed is that the folks who work at our local store are amazing. As the tension rises in the world outside the frozen food section, these fine folks have managed to weather the storm and come out smiling. Yes, we can get peanut butter and black beans again. We can also get a high five from six feet away, or a smile from behind the glass. I’ve taken to giving a few of our “grocery store heroes” nicknames. Here is a sampling:

“Muscle Milk” is a manager at my local store. One day, I noticed that he was carrying a container of the aforementioned protein drink in his vest. He was also carrying quite the positive attitude in the first days of the grocery shortage. As I was checking out one day, I asked him about his drink of choice. “Ask him where he got it,” said the young woman who was checking me out. He smiled and said, “Hey, I need my protein drink. We don’t have any right now… so I might have made a side trip to the Dollar Store.” Thanks for your sense of humor and your professionalism, Muscle Milk.

“Six Foot Steve” works in the produce section. We eat a lot of sweet potatoes, and I showed up at 7 a.m. one morning looking for them. He told me they had them out back, but I’d have to wait a while for them. I said I didn’t mind, and started a conversation. When I got a little close, he reminded me: “Hey, buddy, I’m six feet tall, so if you need me to lie down to show you where you need to stand, I’m happy to do that.” Six Foot Steve can also juggle sweet potatoes like a circus clown. With gloves on.

“The Bouncer” was keeping the checkout line organized. She definitely was in charge of her station, but instead of standing with massive arms folded in front of her, she had on a T-shirt that read “You Matter,” and entertained us with some fine dance moves while we waited. The Bouncer rocks.

“Nascar” can scan groceries faster than anyone I’ve ever met. On my last trip to the store, I stocked up, hoping to make our foodstuffs last a full two weeks. As I started to unload, she started working her magic. No pit stops, no tire changes or yellow flags. She did say she liked Toby Keith’s music, though. And as I prepared to leave, she got on her microphone and said, “Aisle Two is ready to r-r-r-umble!” I’m not sure if her nickname should be Nascar or WWE.

There are a lot of heroes in our midst right now: Our first responders, our teachers, our health care professionals. Our friends and families. There are folks who go to work because they have to. There are folks who go to work because they care. There are folks who struggle through this new reality and do the best they can, at any given moment. As difficult as it may seem, perhaps this universal curveball is the earth’s way of saying slow down and take notice. What will happen when our leaders tell us it’s okay to go out again? What will we do when our restaurants, entertainment venues and gyms open up again? I’m not one to make predictions, but I’ll be willing to bet “Muscle Milk” will still give you a big smile in the morning. “Six Foot Steve” will juggle sweet potatoes for you. “The Bouncer” will remind you that you matter. And “Nascar” (or WWE) will always be “Ready to R-r-rumble!” Thanks for keeping it real, my hometown heroes.