Shopping Carts

The boys and I went to the soccer fields to kick the ball around and get out some major negative energy that was circulating through the apartment, it ended up being a fun time of ball kicking, flag carrying, and rolling pennies off a small shed, but then we realized we were hungry! We decide to just walk on over to store for brochen, salami, gouda, and some fruit. I had the three boys by myself (Thomas was in the Baby Bjorn) and no stroller but the walk isn't far and it was nice out so off we went. Though when we arrived I realized a few things: 1. I didn't bring bags for the groceries 2. I didn't bring any more money than what was in my pocket 3. Luke , Thomas, Jack, groceries, no stroller or Pete--hmmm, how would I get home?  Well, we were already there and as I put my Euro into the grocery cart I had, what seemed at the moment, a brilliant revelation, I could put Luke and Jack and the groceries in the cart and push it home. I mean I did put my Euro in it, doesn't that make it mine for awhile? As I push the cart around the store I remember something about these shopping carts--they suck. I mean American shopping carts aren't great either but in comparison they are like the sports cars of shopping carts, while my German shopping cart was this ragged old beat up car nobody wanted. To push it straight takes great effort, to turn it requires great strength, and after trying to maneuver it around just the store you are pretty worn out. Still, there was no turning back, I had no other options, I would persevere. Once we got outside I had to cross the street into the town square which isn't difficult but it dawned on me that I would look weird, odd, a bit like a thief, pushing a shopping cart with two kids in it and groceries with no bags across town. I decided to hell with what they think, I can't understand them anyway! I pushed my shoulders back, held my head high and began to walk through the town square, old people and their opinions be damned. Only it didn't look quite so pretty and strong as it sounds. I had to ground my feet, hold on tight, push hard only to have it want to go off to the right, so I had to stop put my left foot back and lean into the cart and push it to the right with my upper body. Then the cart would decide to go to the right so I had to stop and again use the whole might of my little body to push it straight. Luke was the most secure thing in the cart because he was in the child seat while Jack and the groceries were just  being thrown around in the back of the cart. I decided to try a different technique and grab the back part where Jack was and see if this would work any better. It did not, unless you count causing the cart to actually begin moving in wide arcs around me as working. I hadn't even cross the street out of the town square yet. I got to the crosswalk and made it to the other side just fine, but then saw that I would have to lift the cart up onto sidewalk. I didn't have much time before trucks would start needing to use the space my kids and I were occupying so I tried and tried to lift that cart onto the sidewalk but to no avail, when suddenly a little old lady with a walker took pity on me and she hoisted the the shopping cart on the sidewalk for me just as cars began to drive where I had been standing. Needless to say I no longer had any pride left-- a lady who is in need of a walker to just get around town looked a me and thought wow she really needs my help and then proceeded to do what I could not in a matter of seconds. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The rest of the way home was a straight walk down that sidewalk but it didn't get any easier and finally noticing that the cart really wanted to be pushed with me walking straight and it off to the right that is exactly what I did. So my right arm was extended out to the side and the cart did much better that way. Oh it wasn't easy still, Jack nearly got his head lobbed off by trees and he almost fell out a few times because of cracks in the sidewalk, but we made it home. In hindsight it would have been easier to buy bags, carry Thomas in the baby carrier, and carry Luke in my arms than to use that blasted shopping cart. I was covered in sweat and out of breath by the time we made it upstairs. Without the help of that little old lady I may still be trying to lift the shopping cart onto the sidewalk--so, danke schön.