Holiday Struggles: COVID Edition

By: Janelle Thomas, Washington State University 

I was in quite a hurry at a Fred Meyer, on a Bond mission to get a handful of ingredients before this year’s Friendsgiving. As an avid baker, I wanted to make something delicious, COVID friendly, and memorable- so naturally, I went with mini pumpkin cheesecakes.

As a preface, I want you to know I always wear my cross-body purse (with associated phone holder) diagonally across my chest... never have I had it on my shoulder. On this particularly rushed day, I thought “I have no time for this, let’s get this BREAD and GET OUTTA here” as I strung it on my sleeve and rushed in. What possessed me to take this risk... I couldn’t tell you. Nonetheless, I persisted.

I whipped through Fred Meyer with a clear purpose, screeching the wheels on my cart through every aisle I ventured into, slam dunking my items as I went as if they were all 3 point shots. Alas, I met my match- they were completely sold out of mini tart shells, a quintessential ingredient in my masterpiece desserts. Flustered and disrupted, I whipped through the aisles trying to wrack my brain for an alternative option.

I found myself aimlessly staring into the abyss of cream cheese, whipped cream, and cool whip selections. I reached for my phone to determine the best alternative to cheesecake because of the major inconvenience I just endured. As I reached for my phone in my purse, I felt nothing. I felt all my pockets at least 3 times, checked my coat, pants, hair, literally anywhere I could think I would throw my phone in a hurry. That’s when I realized... I didn’t even have my purse.

A new wave of stress and sweat ran over me as I started frantically retracing my steps frantically in what felt like a Costco sized Fred Meyer. I was panicked. Among the last place, I checked was the frozen pie section where I had scoured the aisle for the mini tart shells. 

And there it was... upside down, against the glass, strap hanging out the frozen pie door... preventing it from shutting... none other than my ID tucked gently into a brown leather cross body purse, blatantly reminding me to never leave it hanging again.