we live in strange times. in old days of England, the rich queried, “what do poor people want with a holiday?” Now, we query, “groceries? what do poor people want with groceries? what do poor people want with snap benefits, when we could just give them a box filled with rice and beans, and they could eat from a tin can?”, all the while refusing to eat the first and last half of a loaf of bread ourselves….
© 2026 – SoulSequel
7 responses to “strange times”
Strange times indeed.
It makes me think back to 6 years ago when I learned that grocery stores of the same company do not sell the same groceries here in Arizona. I saw a Frys (that is the name of the local grocery store) ad for prime rib. I drove to the Frys that is near us to the East. I asked the butcher where the prime rib roasts were. The answer was that they did not sell them. I asked if they get the whole animal to butcher. The answer was, “Yes”. I told them a prime rib is on the whole animal and …. “I want that prime rib cut.” They said that it doesn’t sell, so it is never set out in the case. I insisted and got loud about what they do with that special cut of meat — that they don’t sell to the customers? The butcher quietly pulled me aside to ask what size roast and how many ribs do I want? The price was set at sky-high and I paid about $100.00 for a 4 rib roast. It was wrapped in a way that other customers would not see the meat I was taking to the register.
It was then that I started to notice that the Frys to the East of us sells low quality food and caters to the Mexican population. They do not sell Immortal Pirate’s favorite jelly filled Mexican pastries. I am guessing because they are of a higher quality than the low quality of choices offered at the East Frys. Immortal Pirate shops at a more local Frys to the North of us, where his favorite pastries are offered and sell off of the shelves fast. I shop there, but they don’t sell prime rib roasts, nor do they sell lamb. I complained and they stood firm on NOT selling prime rib, or lamb.
There is a Frys to the West of us that sells prime rib and lamb at more reasonable prices and the same sized roast I forced the East Frys to sell me (at nearly $100.00), I could get from the West Frys for $60.00. They offer a higher grade of groceries, better cakes, and they make sushi right in the store for me. However, when I asked for the jelly filled Mexican pastries that Immortal Pirate loves —- I swear they looked down their nose at me, as they told me they don’t carry those things.
I compared brownies for taking to parties. In the Frys to the East of me, the brownies are low grade and dry. The Frys to the North of me are a middle grade of plain brownies. The Frys in the West of us has special brownies that are packaged on serving trays and frosted fancy and they are super moist and chocolatey.
Now, I know the the Frys stores are not the same here in Arizona.
Bill Gates is building a community far off to the West of us. It is going to be a community of the future with the best of everything for the people living there. They will have a Frys and I will bet it will be worth the drive just to shop there.
@ladybarbara I have preferences when it comes to grocery shopping, too. One thing I’ve noticed is there are a lot of food deserts in inner cities.
I eat the whole loaf…….?
My elitist take on velfare is that if it keeeeps the desperate grime covered urchins off the street & outta my $üperioüre path,…
….then $plendidly CAPiTAL!
Well, strange in the sense that it is the same process of disassociative self-entitlement — and we still haven’t gotten around to doing something about it!
(And recognizing that sjws have nothing meaningful to contribute unto its resolution!)
@griz not following. Who is entitled, exactly?
@Scarlett
In the two examples you gave, they would be the person feeling entitled enough in their “haves”, to feint protective disassociation with the “have nots”.
Or in severe cases, perhaps coupled with the “ignorance” of pretending not to see them, they might succeed in making the disassociation a living breathing, and self-sustaining sub personality within them.
*a bit more will follow in a private message.