Thank God And Kroger's For Senior Rewards!
Posted: Thursday, June 12, 2008
by Bob Alexander
http://www.bluemarlinbob.com
Thank God for Kroger's! I just discovered that there's a place for old people to go for companionship rather than having to trek down to the Senior Center and learn how to basket weave. I'm not sure the brain trust of this gigantic grocery chain ever envisioned their stores as a meeting place for the elderly, but on Wednesdays their Senior Rewards day brings us senior citizens in by the droves!
In my town Kroger's Senior Rewards day is a big deal! Lots of baby boomers and older folks spend lots of money on that day. The people at Kroger's who came up with this marketing idea are brilliant. This weekly event is really more than just reducing our grocery bill by a couple of dollars. After all, just how much can 5% save you?
In addition to being able to save a few dollars on their grocery bill, this weekly promotion is popular for another reason. It gives us older folks a chance to see friends and acquaintances that we probably wouldn't see under ordinary circumstances. The older we get the lazier we are and staying home is usually more preferable than visiting friends. It's easier to run into them at Kroger's on Wednesday morning.
A couple of weeks ago on Senior Rewards day, I bumped into an old friend of mine, a fellow I'll call Jimmy Cliché. "Hi Jimmy, how are you doing?" I asked as we met in the middle of the prune aisle.
"The old gray mare ain't what she used to be", he said as he stuck out his hand for me to shake. "But it's not over 'til the fat lady sings" he finished. "How's it hanging?"
I told him I felt pretty good and asked him about his health. "No pain, no gain", he replied, "But I'll feel better when I stop hurting."
I knew better than to ask but I did anyway," What happened? Did you break something?" I asked.
"No it's just my back and my acid reflux. When it rains it pours, but there's silver lining behind every cloud!" he answered as he pushed his cart to the pharmacy area.
I've known Jimmy for over 50 years and it's rare that he'll let a sentence go by without inserting a cliché. Had I known this would be the last time I would see him, I would have chatted longer. I wonder how many folks we see for the last time at Kroger's.
Waiting in line at the pharmacy in Kroger's for one of my medications to be refilled, I spotted another one of my old high school buddies just ahead of me in line. This guy should have been a poster boy for AARP. He was tall, his hair was gray and he looked the part of a successful aging baby boomer.
"Getting old is not for wooses." He said as he showed me his bag of pills that he was about to get refilled. He made my day! If someone who looked as healthy as he did was taking as many pills as the bottles indicated, then I was in fantastic shape.
Senior Rewards day at my local Kroger's store is not all about the 5% savings the seniors receive on their food. It's really about satisfying a sense of belonging to many who wouldn't find that feeling anywhere else. Not that there's much socializing going on in the produce section, but there is a feeling of camaraderie that I've noticed among the patrons on Wednesdays.
Every time I leave the store though, I ask myself the same question. Do I look as old as the rest of those guys?
Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at:
http://www.homeandgardenbob.com
http://www.redfishbob.com
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)hi bob, great, interesting, well written article. i don't think you look old at all! i know the picture you have on searchwarp is ten years old, but so what? :) really, you look mahvelous! keep enjoying kroger's, best regards, sueThanks for the comments Sue. Actually the photo is only two years old. Bob
Great article, Bob. I immediately liked Jimmy Clich. I enjoyed the humor and your appreciation for others. You're a very good storyteller. One of my favorites is the time you took your sister-in-law (I think) fishing. That was a winner! I agree with Sue on the age thing. You are young! Old is over 80+ in my opinion!Thanks Avis, If I'm so young, why do I feel old? Seriously, I'm looking forward to the 80's. Bob
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