Costco!!!!!!

Friday night, we listened to Island of Black and White at Borders, ate at In and Out and on our way home I turned quickly   into the Costco parking lot.  We  decided to stop for essentials, dog food, dried apricots and coffee.  I was walking down the main aisle heading to the back of the store and realized I needed photo albums and I remembered they had moved their location and had overheard a clerk say they were in the back near the bakery.   Once near the corner I searched everywhere and could not find them.  There was a man dolled out in Costco garb: walkie - talkie, vest, grippey shoes, clip board, lanyard with a Costco tag  and jeans so I said, " HI, excuse me I see you are counting beef steaks, but do you have a minute?"  He replied, " Oh, hi, hello, yes!  :)   How can I help you."  I told him I was looking for the photo albums and wondered if he knew where there were and I suggested he just point because by the look of him he was important and busy.  He left his post near the meat and began walking with me in search of the photo albums.  We walked up and down each aisle and could not find them.  He told me to wait there at the end of the aisle and he would be back.  Soon he did return and said, "The person I asked did not know either, so let's find them."  I said, "OH NO, No worries, I will look on my own, thank you, really it's not a big deal."  He said, " Well more eyes are better, we will find them  TOGETHER"  He stayed with me and we found them.  He Cheered!   We almost hugged and I went on my way.  I was pushing the large cart toward the check out area and he came up next to me and said, "Have fun inserting 600 photos into those albums, he smiled."  And when I looked at him again  I flashed to:  

A time about 2 years ago, when my cousin was here visiting from San Diego.  We were driving the Gillapi and stopped into Costco to get Thanksgiving, Homemade, Pumpkin Pies and Land O Lakes whip cream.  On our journey we found the middle, clothing section and lolly gagged about trying on clothes and laughing at each other.  My Cuz decided to buy a fleece and so in the cart it went along with the other items. We went through the check stand and to the bathrooms immediately as we  could wait no longer. It was here Cuz pulled the tags from the fleece and put it on because she was cold and she looked smashing.  We headed to the check out, pushing the cart and laughing all the way about nothing and were  first cleared by the young man at the door.  We took two steps and another man bolted in front of us and asked to see our receipt and demand we halt.  Wow, his demeanor was definitely not kind and loving and his attitude was very harsh and odd.  He looked at the receipt and pulled out his walkey -  talkey, ALL CLEAR!!  I said all clear what?  He said, " You, can't go in a bathroom and pull tags off a coat and wear it out of the store."  Cuz said, " I bought it  and, thank you very much, I will do what I want with it, it's mine!!"  Well, he looked at us in an odd way, very unhappy and Cuz not so content as we were just accused of STEALING, that we just looked at each other and went numb.... Wow, It all happened so fast, that it was not until we got home that we really calculated what had happened.  

Landing back into the present and thankful he choose to see me in a different  light on this day and escort me around Costco for last 15 minutes  to find photo albums, I said, "Thank you, I will!"  

On the drive home I realized that I have a choice of my perception regarding people and their choices too.  I can react or not.  

Life changes constantly, all matter changes, this is evolution.   Even at Costco there is evolution!  Excellent- Thank you Man at Costco!!!

Dirt

YOSEMITE!  

Half Dome!  

Dogwood! 

Rock Climbers! 

Bears!  

Hippies!

El Capitan! 

Water Falls!  

Nature!

Pizza!

Patchouli!

In the  early 90's I was sitting on a bus in Yosemite Valley when on walked a woman wearing pieces of fabric tied over, under and around her body, macrame hemp tied around her head holding matted hair into a large bun,  a big over stuffed shoulder bag made of burlap and no shoes with a scent that made me stare.. I was not sure if I liked the smell or did not.   I heard a man say peeeyouuuuu!!!, that chic is wearing a load of patchouli!  I made a note to remember that name (Patchouli) and look into to it when I got to town.  I continued to stare at the woman, her organic clothes, cool style and dirtiness that made her shine in a clean sort of way.  

One of my first stops in town was the health food store, where I inquired about Patchouli and   listened for about 20 minutes on all the scientific facts and data on the plant:  Patchouli is a  bushy herb of the mint family.  Patchouli is native to China, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and the Philippines.  In the Plant Kingdom it's Genus species is Pogostamin cablin.  Uses of Patchouli include;  hair shampoo, conditioner, perfume, air fresher, antidotes for venomous snake bites, incense, detergents, aromatherapy oil, lotion, insect repellent, medicinal uses include; headache, colds, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain and more.  Its' name is derived from Tamil Patchai.  The clerk wanted to keep talking, I wanted to buy some.  So I grabbed a bottle, paid and left eager to try it out.  Since this day I have bought Patchouli products of many kinds and like the way the smell moves me earthward.  

One day I was in Costco, standing in line with my mountain size  pile of things in a cart and  4 customers back from the check out and heard the Cashier say, "I smell dirt, WHO has been working on a tractor?  DIRT  !!! Do you guys smell that?  I really smell dirt and it's is getting stronger.  Are they working in a field nearby.  The dirt is strong."  She was talking VERY LOUD!!! Everyone was looking around for a large mound of dirt!  I wanted to do the boogie and sing-  IT'S ME!!!!!! It was I that reeked of dirt and WOW!, I was choosing embarrassed because everyone now new she smelled dirt and I knew it was me.  My turn at the cash register and I said, " Do you still smell dirt?"  She said, "YES!, Do you?"  I laughed, " Yes I do, and YES that dirt smell is me."  I told her it might be the Patchouli and I let her sniff my arm and she roared with laughter and said, "Yes, Yes, that is it."  Since then I call Patchouli, DIRT, very fitting name for me and my style of perfume... Thank you lady at Costco!!!!  I LOVE DIRT!!!!