Kind of, ew. Oh, well, like I know why people get together. "misguided nostalgia?" Susan? "Idealization"

Thanks, Hec. Have forwarded to DH to see if either is what he has in mind. (eta and erika)

People actually do that? Poke you from behind with their carts?

The worst was when Stop and Shop's crack marketing team decided it'd be a great idea for each store to provide a few child-sized shopping carts that adorable little future shoppers could push around along side their parent, giving them the same opportunity to impulse buy as the grown-ups. Of course, that some of the little darlings would try to push the knee-high carts around corners at mach 1 never occurred to them. Or at least it didn't until the personal injury suits started trickling in, presumably. The carts vanished after a few months.

Then there are the people in the parking lots.

The worst are the ones who've staked out a shopper getting ready to leave -- except the shopper has a cart full of groceries and some kids and hasn't opened the trunk yet. I always end up behind one, and you can't back out or do anything until the car infront of you moves.

Or the people who stroll right down the middle of the lane and don't seem to care that there are cars behind them trying to get some place.

People actually do that? Poke you from behind with their carts?

Yes, because apparently I am invisible. If I could just figure out how to become invisible when it worked to my advantage ...

each store to provide a few child-sized shopping carts that adorable little future shoppers could push around along side their parent

Whole Foods has those. Surprisingly, I've had no problems with kidlets and their carts running into me. No, it's all adults who can't see the goth wearing a top hat and petticoats.

I'm imgaining that Jilli leaves Whole Foods one day with a small child and cart who have accidentaly gotten caught under Jilli's hoopskirt.

Oof. That's a dent in his Hall of Fame credentials. Especially after Canseco named him. Wasn't the Viagra enough?

I think they require the use of regulation bats in MLB.

They have firetruck, and policecar carts at our local Hy-Vee. They are pretty nice for kids.

to provide a few child-sized shopping carts that adorable little future shoppers could push around along side their parent

Harris Teeter used to have those. Come to think of it, I haven't seen them there the last few times I've shopped. Huh. Just the ginormous carts shaped kinda like race cars, where the kids can pretend to steer. I kinda like those--they make the kids happy, yet keep them in a parentally controlled space.

I think they require the use of regulation bats in MLB.

As long as they're wood.