Small town life

Living in a small town means that you better always be prepared to run into someone you know, or someone who knows someone that you know. Every part of your life is open for discussion and commment.
This came to my attention, as if I needed a reminder, went I trudged to the local super Wal-mart in town. Now we have always had a Wal-mart, but now my county has become one of the many with a SUPER store. Everything you could ever need under one convenient roof. Basically torture for a mother with small children.
As this particular store is on the other side of the county from me, this was only my second trip since its opening in October. I entered with the youngest of my two sons and met my mother and step-dad there, who drove over an hour to shop at this wonder palace, as their county does not have one, or teh two they had to drive through to get to this one!
Anyway, I swear within walking in the door way and getting a cart, I saw a woman and her daughter from church, spoke to them, turned my head and low and behold, the substitute that I had secured for Monday morning was standing in line not 10 feet from me. Of course I had to speak to him. Now granted I am barely in the door. My mother being an impatient woman, had scuttled dad and the two grandkids forward, so that I then had to scramble to catch up, before they were lost in the abyss of the store. Did I mention I do not particulary like huge stores, too many choices and I get overwhelmed. When I shop for groceries, I do not want to wonder if there is anything else I need, (while I am here) like socks, nuts and bolts or picture frames, from the other side of the store. And I do not like my children knowing that if mom turns her head or speaks to someone for longer than I like, my child can find toy heaven a few aisles over.
So in catching up with my crew, I run across a co-teacher and some mom I know from some sport team, ( recgonize the face, couldn't tell you the name at all). Parents and offspring are in the TOY department. Knowing this could take hours of debate, as Papaw agrees that just one little item would be okay for the boys to have, my mom graciously decides to let me go on and grocery shop and they would herd the boys through the rest of the store.
By the time, they caught up with me in the food aisle, thinking I would be done, I was no where near finished, as I had ran into three other people and a student and his family! Shopping is a community event and once I have stopped to chat and inquire on everyone's health (that's what we do in the south) I have forgotten precisely why I am on that aisle and what I need. Ahhh!
As we dined this afternoon after church, I run into my son's teacher, a fellow teacher, a friend of one son and her family, and my sister-in-law!
The good thing is, is that my children know that wherever they are and whoever they are with and whatever they may be doing, will eventually get reported and make its way back to me. With two teenagers, that is on okay thing.