Why Costco rules, especially when Po is involved

Making lineups happier
London, ON
December 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The scene: The Costco checkout line. I've come to this crowded, chaotic place to hunt and forage for my family. Okay, I stopped in on my way home from work to pick up a chicken for dinner, but the hunting-and-foraging theme sounds way more fun.

Whatever, I have a strange relationship with Costco. I generally hate shopping - the staring-into-their-phones-as-they-bash-your-cart crowds, the commercial-overkill, the overwhelming sense of being one sheep among many - but I make an exception here. I rather enjoy the working-warehouse vibe, the ridiculously oversized portions (seriously? You need HOW MUCH mustard?) and the sense of discovery because you never quite know what crap they've decided to dump off a pallet and stick a price tag on.

I'm also a fan of the way they treat their people in an un-Walmart-like way. Employees get realistic salaries, benefits, career paths, and respect. And let's not forget the snacks. I could eat a freaking meal from the samples alone.

So when I come here, even for a single item, I like to have some fun. I wander around looking for the dumbest products I can find, just because. I chat with the sample ladies to alleviate my guilt for not always buying what they're selling. I hang out in the electronics section because that's what geeks do. And when I get to the checkout area, I take a picture and, hopefully, make some folks smile in the process.

This trip's pic was an easy one. Po was in my bag - where she had been since I last photographically played with her in Vegas - so out she came. A quick pose on top of my backpack and we were done. I think the family in the lineup next to me thought I was about to be rounded up and taken back to my cell, but the kid on the other side kept calling out to Po, so we'll call it a win.

Life can be random like that, but only if we allow it to be. I hope that's what you're doing whenever you, too, find yourself hunting and foraging for your family. It may seem mundane and routine. I guarantee you it isn't.

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