Small Town Wal-Mart

Everyone knows that if you want to see as many people as possible that you know in one place in a small town you only have to make a quick trip to Wal-Mart. They may be old teachers, ppl you were terrified of in high school, ppl you were semi-friends with, etc. I think someone should write a small town wal-mart etiquette book....there are always the questions like "do I duck and run", "do I risk it and speak", "did they see me? can i make a run for it?"....one wrong move and the whole town will be talking about how terrible you are or how sweet you are within the hour (okay, maybe more like 12 hours). You also see some learned life lessons put to work with other families....for example-I was in the frozen food section and a family of 5....mom, dad, 2 daughters, and a son (oldest of all kids, obviously)...mom and the girls were pushing the cart while the girls hung on, learning to be just like mom, mom griped at dad for a little help please and "do we really need that", "oh, my goodness, could you please just do something?". Dad has obvioulsy learned it's safest to just say "ok", smile, nod, do what he's told and return to his place behind the women in the grocery store ready to spring into action again.....the son was learning to be like dad (walking a few feet behind the cart, hands in pockets, doing what mom says, saying yes ma'am, and returning to the "ready position" with dad). There's also the super young mom with the screaming, obnoxious toddler who is giving into her kid just like her mom gave into her, and the cycle continues for generations. Yay for small town entertainment! =)