Ms. Pacman and the Rest

When I was little, we always shopped at Mick or Mack. I have no memory of going to any other grocery store but I remember a lot about that place.

I remember that you drove your car around to the front of the building under a covered driveway after you paid for your groceries and the attendant loaded your groceries into the back seat. We didn’t tip him. I think it was like Ukrops, you weren’t really supposed to.

I remember that they had Ms. Pacman and I would settle in until my quarters ran out  Then, I would run around the store looking for my mama (I call her mom now) and pick out the cereal I wanted for the week.

I remember that one day one of us kids got some sugar babies and my mom ate one in the car on the way out of the parking lot and darned if that baby didn’t pull her cap off or her cavity or something! What was that mom?

I don’t remember if my mom used coupons back then, but I remember there were these little green stamps and eventually she collected enough to have a whole set of dishes. They had strawberries on them, I think. Had those in my first apartment.

I never remember dreading to go to the store for all of those reasons. It’s still kind of fun today for different reasons but it would be WAY better if my mama, Ms. Pacman and the Mick or Mack attendant were there.