The Grocery Shop

Whenever she could, Mia drove barefoot. The cool of the metal pedals gave her a sense of control. Wedging her foot in a familiar way, she was able to maintain her speed with only her big right toe, her organic cruise control. It was just as well because her car sure didn’t have fancy electronic cruise control. A small shitbox that got her from responsibility to responsibility. The suspension clunked when she pulled into the driveway. The brake whined at the strain of immobilising the car.

Mia considered stretching sideways to roll up the passenger door window, but saw no point in the effort. Searching for her sandals, Mia reached into the black hole under her seat. In the process her forehead came to rest on the steering wheel. Her eyes closed. Her head emptied. She let out a sigh, but in doing so, her body sank lower and her fingertips grazed her sandals, pulling her back into reality. Mia wiggled the sandals out. Slipped them on. Opened the door and stepped outside.

The hot air, heavy with moisture, created a haze around the street lamps and the half-lit storefront neon sign. There was no breeze to cool the skin, just sticky clothes.

“Flip, flap, flip, flap.” Mia’s flip-flops were the only sounds around except maybe for the one or two cicadas that had forgotten to tuck in for the night.

She stopped in front of the store’s automatic doors. Looked up and waved with a large arc of the arm. The old motion sensor registered her presence and the doors slid open with a “ding.” Cool air rushed past her feet. She stepped inside.

Mia grabbed a cart with squeaking wheels. She didn’t bother to change it. She knew there was no point. Mia absently headed towards the fresh produce section. Her hands wrung the old faded plastic handle of the cart.

“Flip, flap, squeak, flip, flap, squeak, flop.” Her wet toes drew Mia’s gaze from the cart to the vegetables in the wet rack. They were all limp, rubbery and abandoned to the morning shift. The bread section wasn’t much better. A sole loaf of Wonder Bread was left, a wonder.

Mia looked up at the empty store. She felt at home here and now. All at once her arm hairs rose like little antennas capturing the essence of the space. Mia realised why she felt so connected here. She felt like the store.