look, i'm all about not diddle-dawdling or lawly-gagging when shopping. i hate shopping. but i'd like a few more than 10 mins to do it in.

my friend, larry, (who is common law married to tracy) knocks on my door this a.m. (barely) and excitedly says "bus adventure!" it's a p.i.a. lots of times but if someone else rides with you it can be quite fun. he wanted me to go to the dollar general(?) store with him, not the family dollar store which is closer.

hey, i always need toilet paper, plus i needed laundry detergent, paper towels, razors and cream.

he wants to hit the next bus back which is 30 mins away. we're racing through the store. he needs toilet paper so i find my paper towels and toilet paper on the same aisle.

"what else do you need"

"clorox and laundry detergent!"

he guides the cart there and while i try to compare some prices, he reminds me not to "lolly-gag" and insists, "don't leave the cart behind" he takes off for the far aisle.

i find the clorox and detergent. i grab the cart head up the aisle he took, and when he sees me,from a half an aisle away, throws a box of tampons at the cart. they bounce off the side onto the floor and i scoop them up and into the cart.

i call to him, and pantomime shaving my legs, "i need razors!"

"at the front of the aisle" while he takes off in another direction. i find the razors and i'm comparing shaving creams when i hear him yell a few aisles away "did you find them?"

"yes, i found them, i'll be there in a minute!"

i meet him back up at the front of the store.

whew! 10 mins and we're at the register!

he paid, i paid and told me to take the cart and meet him at the library while he ran across to the liquor store.

i sat on the bench for a minute when i saw the bus heading back on the other side toward the transfer, meaning we had 15 mins to wait (on an every 30 min schedule) for it to get back to us.

wow!

i can shop fast, but that was indeed commando shopping!

aluminum lining: i got to see how far the #9 line runs and at the end of the line, when the #9 turns around and heads north again, there are some fabulous views of the ocean.