Release Day

Interesting that the release date for Bob Woodward’s book Fear is today ─ 9/11. I’m sure there’s a deliberate meaning behind that, but I don’t yet get it.

I’d initially tried to purchase Fear through Amazon ($30 marked down to $18), but it wasn’t available for shipping to a Locker and I didn’t want it shipped to home because I can’t trust the postal service, so plan for today, release day, was to drive 18 miles to Barnes and Noble in Redlands to pick up a copy.

I’m still on Omarosa’s book (Unhinged) but, at page 218 of 334 pages, it won’t be long until I get to the end.

Omarosa’s book wasn’t much of what we didn’t already know, that is until Page 195, where it is revealed that instead of being sworn in on a bible, the Orange Traitor wanted to be sworn in on his book Art of the Deal, because “It’s the greatest business book of all time ... Just think of how many copies I’d sell ─ maybe a commemorative inauguration copy”.

That’s seriously sad.

Pathetic even.

Also interesting thus far is Page 197, which speaks of a questionable “special” relationship between the Orange Traitor and a certain female pastor. Having never heard of this pastor, I grabbed my phone and asked Google to show me a picture of her. Up pops a blonde Ivanka lookalike. Ohhhhh, thought I. Of course.

So anyway, I didn’t have to drive out of the area for a copy of Fear after all because, stopping at the local Walmart (3 miles away) to pick up an online order, there it was on the shelf ($30 marked down to $20). And only three copies remaining already, so I’m all set in the reading department.

While at Walmart, I found a coffee cup to add to my collection. One that tickled my fancy a lot more than those I saw and passed on at Starbucks.

Also, while at Walmart, I was stunned to find this.

What you are looking at are Tide Pods behind lock and key.

I know loss prevention is an issue, but this locking up of laundry detergent is too much.

At any rate, I pushed the buzzer, a young associate shortly appeared to unlock the case but then, after she gave me what I wanted, she said, “I’m supposed to walk you to checkout with this”.

WTF!

I’d already had to purchased and pay for a pair of tweezers in the make-up department because, again, loss prevention. They use to put items from that department in little locked cases, which case was unlocked at checkout, but now it’s that nothing can be taken from that department without being paid for in that department.

I guess somebody must have figured out how to unlock the cases and make it out of the store without paying.

At any rate, I paid for the tweezers, the tweezers were placed in a regular Walmart shopping bag, which my logical mind said didn’t seem very loss preventative to me because who’s to say I couldn't slip other items from the store into that bag and walk out without paying.

So anyway, the young associate helping me with Tide Pods noticed what must have been a stunned look on my face that she'd have to walk me to checkout and said, “But I trust you”, which allowed me to finish my shopping without having to follow her to checkout, pay for the Tide Pods, have them put that in a bag, return to shopping for other sundry items, go back to checkout, and probably have to show multiple proof of payment receipts to the associate manning the door.

Are all Walmart’s like this, or just the one in my area?

I think my Walmart shopping days have come to an end. Next time I need Tide Pods and Tweezers, anything and everything else, I’ll either pick up at the market or order from Amazon.