I just have to tell y’all about the funniest experience I had during my last visit to the pharmacy department at Wal-Mart.  Now, on a good day, there’s usually always – oxymoron? - something or someone that brings a smile to my face when I go to Wal-Mart, which admittedly, is rather frequent.  Just in case you have not researched the word frequent in a while, let me refresh your memory:  I’ll share just two definitions of frequent: (1) patronize: do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of; (2) Occurring or appearing quite often or at close intervals.  I definitely fulfill those definitions.  I get it.

It all happened on one of those days when the line of good folks waiting their turn at the pharmacy counter extended out into the main aisle of shoppers.  Been there?  (I’ll share a little insider information here: I have found that on Tuesdays sometimes you can actually walk right up to the counter and request your meds!  I’m not kidding about this, folks.  It’s way too important to joke about such serious issues.  Yes, you can actually be first in line sometimes on Tuesdays!  But, please, let’s not all rush there on Tuesdays, otherwise, they will become Fridays, ok?) 

But this day was a Friday, and I should’ve known it was going to be an exciting shopping experience  when I first entered the shopping cart area.  (Yes, I am trying to break myself of the habit of calling those rolling cages by their improper name of “buggies or buggys”, you decide.  After all, there were no horses around.)  Well, anyways, I was about to take charge of one of the shopping carts that had just been left free – all forlorn looking - of other entwined (ugh!) carts, when a nice man said, “Oh, you don’t want that one. It doesn’t go forward!”  I appreciated that timely piece of advance warning, because how on earth would I take advantage of all the Rollbacks awaiting me if my buggy – ooops! – wouldn’t roll forward!  What on earth was I thinking!

Eventually, though, I did reach the Pharmacy section and joined the line of others waiting for their turn to pick up their meds.  And, since I am a curious person by nature (not to be confused with nosey) and enhanced by boredom as I waited my turn, my eyes fell on a very unusual product display at the end-cap shelving nearest where I was standing.  I thought, surely they are not serious!  Right there was a lovely assortment of canned Hormel Chili with Beans (the added condiments are significant here), Chef Boyardee Ravioli, Spaghettios, and other tantalizing, canned, well-spiced, hardy, soul-satisfying food, all ready to go.  Remember now: I am in the Pharmacy section!  That section is poles apart from the Grocery section, which is where, as I remember, canned items are usually found in large array.  Right?

So, I enjoyed a smile or two all by myself, but then the real kicker kicked in and it all made sense!  On the shelf right below the chili and ravioli was a large supply of Equate acid reducer meds, maximum strength, I might mention!  How convenient is that?  If you go for the chili, then just plan ahead and go for the acid reducer meds, as well.  I don’t know who the marketing guru is for the Lancaster Wal-Mart store but she needs to be recognized for her innovation and creativity in effective product displaying.  Mr. Sam would be proud!  I mentioned this eye-catching display to the nice gentleman waiting behind me, and he, too enjoyed a smile, along with a look of bewilderment.  For a brief moment we both forgot that we needed meds at all!  Well, ultimately I got “my turn” at the window only to find out that Medicare wouldn’t pay for my test strips until October 9^th.  Oh, well. But, the waiting was not in vain because Bill’s meds were ready, so the trip was productive, after all. 

Now, I know it is not unusual for Wal-Mart stores to be configured in slightly different ways, as in Groceries on the left – Pharmacy on the right – Shoes in the back – Restrooms back there too, which if you are in the front of the store when duty calls, those restrooms will be closed for cleaning and you will quickly learn the route to the restrooms at the back of the store.  Or vice versa.  Computer printing supplies location?  They are anybody’s guess.  And that’s ok with me.  I’ve seen ‘em laid out all ways.  They cover the right brains and the left brains, which is commendable and generally accommodates everyone.  But Hormel Chili with Beans marrying the Acid Reducer meds?  An idea whose time truly has come.

Perhaps all of this would not have affected me in such a grandiose way had I not been recently thinking about, mentally dreaming of, and having mouth-watering, out of body experiences regarding Wendy’s chili!  I had just remarked to Bill a couple of days ago: “I can’t wait until a little fall weather arrives!  I just love Wendy’s chili, and can’t wait to indulge myself.”  I’d had a serious craving flung on me!  Plus, the fact that Wendy’s chili is on the Value Menu makes it taste even better!  Add a baked potato on the side and you’ve got a meal that will warm your insides and satisfy your soul at the same time.  Talk about a meal deal.  Seriously, I do highly recommend Wendy’s chili, and strongly encourage you to visit the drive-through as soon as possible.  Just so you know, you DO NOT have to be old in order to place an order from the Value Menu.  Anybody’s money works, no matter the maturity level.  But my Wal-Mart experience has put my craving for chili on the back burner for the time being, to be recalled at a moment’s notice, though.  As a friend remarked, “I’m just not ready to buy my Ravioli in the Pharmacy section.”  Some things are just wrong!

So, I hope your appetite has been whetted for something warm and wonderful and nurturing as a wee bit of fall is moving in on us. Lovin’ it, too!  Don’t ask me where to find whatever that soul-satisfying food you crave will be found, but I would recommend looking first in the grocery section of your local supermarket!  You never know what else you might discover there.  Who knows, maybe the Alka-Seltzer will be side by side the beautiful assortment of soups! Yum! If so, go for both!  You’ll be glad you did.

One thing we do know, for sure, though, is that:

... He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.  Ps. 107-9 NASB

Happy Fall, everyone!  And, now for the validation of this craziness!