I did my part in continuing the reputation women have of being incessant shoppers. The bumper sticker that reads, ‘Shop ‘Til You Drop? can now rightfully be displayed on granddaughter Savannah’s new bicycle.
I say ‘new? bicycle because she insists her present bike, and the hand-me-down bike from her cousin Karen, are too small.
Partly for Valentine’s Day and partly because Grandpa gets a guilty feeling for not doing enough with his grandchildren, I took 8-year-old Savannah to Great Lakes Crossing’s way-too-big mall.
Last Christmas I took her to an Old Navy clothing store, which she seemed ecstatic about. Mother Susan said their daughter had found another store, Limited Too.
In the drive to the store Savannah belted herself in the back seat, which her mother said she had to do until after her wedding nuptials. Our granddaughter is a quiet girl. She’d answer my questions, but offered none of her own.
Going home after 90 minutes of shopping the chatter from the back seat was incessant. Her happiness radiated. It had to be the new clothes. Of course it could be relief from exposure to her 4-year-old twin siblings on a Saturday.
Anyway, every rack, stack and shelf was reviewed several times. She’s a skinny, tall little girl, wearing 8-slim slacks (don’t bring home any other size, Mommy warned). Tops have to be an eight, also. Nowhere in this Limited Too is there a simple ‘size 8? top. There is SX8, but no just 8, which also had Mommy’s warning.
Savannah got on her tiptoes to check sizes, on her knees and stood upright to check sizes, but never did she ask a clerk. I guess that’s a women’s thing, like men not asking directions.
There were a whole bunch of her age girls in the store, but few of her slenderness. All flitted around trying to find something mother wouldn’t approve of, that they were just dying for.
Out in the mall I never saw a school-age girl with a jacket or sweater. They must leave their coats in the car (it was 10 degrees out) or rent a locker. All had taken an oath to show more belly, or give their button more air or joined the save-cloth movement.
Excuse me, I have to get back to my Savannah-Limited Too shopping. Finally, I spotted a clerk, who was busy putting all the stacks back in order (your size on the bottom) that shoppers had ruffled.
She promised SX8 was her size and, ‘Would you like to try it on?? she asked. Quiet Savannah shook her head, ‘No.?
However, the thought stuck. Thereafter she took three trips to the dressing room, and made darn sure the curtain was pulled shut. Obviously she’s a modest eight.
Too bad about her young age. Savannah could clerk this store. She now knows where every covering they offer is located including scarves, zodiac shirts and hats, which she especially loves. However, she didn’t let on to me that she knew where bikini-stuff was.
I was older than the entire Limited Too staff and customers combined. And, I was treated accordingly. A space filler. I knew it and didn’t care. I looked at just about as many things as Savannah, hoping for an eye-catcher.
And, I never felt bored, useless or unwanted. Grandchildren can affect grandpas that way.