The changing face of the American

   It was Saturday afternoon and we needed to go grocery shopping. The weather was bright and sunny. The parking lot was packed. With the nice day, it appeared as though others had the same idea..... get out of the house and into some fresh air.
   Usually a trip to the store is quick, but we were not in a hurry today, so moving  up and down the aisles was more relaxed and it gave me the opportunity to see what bargains the shelves had to offer. What could the store tempt me to buy?  And with the extra time, it also gave me a chance to do a bit of 'people watching'.
   As I moved through the store, I found myself looking into the faces of what might be the next American. I only needed to look around to get a sense of the future of health care in our country. I am sure there were many I passed with either high blood pressure, diabetes, heart conditions, or obesity and  they didn't know they were inflicted, or didn't care. I know I am a bit over weight, but today I looked pretty good compared to others.  No wonder the drug companies are doing  well. Yes, the future looks bright for rising health care costs in America, costs that will effect even the healthy.
      In the breakfast food aisle a mother and daughter fought over  which cereal to buy. The scary thing was that most choices were not good, many loaded with sugar and preservatives. Mom won, but the entire store suffered as the child screamed and cried as she and her mother moved up and down the  aisles. Thank goodness they were near to the Ring Dings. Several packages quieted her down. Bribery does work!
   Does anyone know how to cook healthy meals anymore? I know eating healthy is expensive. Shoppers were not lined up in the fresh produce department. Schools no longer teach basic living skills; cooking, budgeting, small household repairs and manners, probably in part because the skills can not be measured on a standardized test. But then... isn't life the real test?
   When I was in high school (the dark ages), required courses for graduation included such classes  as driver education, family living, and home economics. For driver education, we didn't need to get a license, but we had to take the class. If I remember, I took classes that may have prepared me for life, in addition to learning how to read and write.
   Back in the store, I only needed to  listen to the language and watch the behavior of children and hear the way they spoke to parents and adults to understand the current lack of parenting skills. Where are parenting skills  taught today? You only need to listen to the 'words' to get a sense of a loss of a moral compass. But then watch television or go to the movies. Come on Charlie Sheen!
   As I turned the corner in the electronics department a young boy of about 8 slammed into my shopping cart. After a quick recovery he raced past me and I noticed a 'blue tooth' hanging over his ear. Give me a break! I know it is a different world and technology is an important part of life, or so I have been told. But an 8 year old with a cell phone? I wonder what he was going to have for dinner tonight or was the money going to pay for his cell phone service?
   And what mother would allow a child to go into a store dressed in pajama bottoms? Oh, wait!!! That wasn't the child, it was the mother! Silly me!!