Clarence Oddbody: A Memory for Father's Day: Shopping with Dad

Sunday, June 17, 2012

A Memory for Father's Day: Shopping with Dad

One of the things I enjoyed most with Dad was grocery shopping. I now enjoy it with my own son when I can, though as he grows into a man those opportunities are becoming rarer. I enjoy it with Dee Dee too, though there's still a lot of babysitting involved at her age.

There's something about the length, the planning, the anticipation (it results in social time at the table), the good food that you normally don't buy for yourself, and the conversation.

Dad said more than once (and I'm sure Mom heard it a few times), "After all these years, I still don't understand your mother." He said that mostly when grocery shopping. It was never angry or frustrated, it was just guy talk. I think he may have heard his father say the same thing. Knowing my Grandma Cairns, he probably heard it a lot.

Dad did a a commercial for Loblaws when I was in 7th grade. He said in the ad (I'm paraphrasing), "I've been working for Loblaws for almost 20 years, and I'm looking forward to the next 20." He was standing in the Produce Department, which he managed at the time, holding some fresh vegetables.

Loblaws went bankrupt in the United States and sold out to Quality Foods, where Dad continued to work and from which he finally retired. Loblaws continues to be strong in Canada, where the company started.

Dad worked all over Erie, including the locations at 38th and Old French, 12th and Pittsburgh, and 12th and Powell. My brother Tom and sister Linda worked at 12th and Powell. I worked at the 12th and Pittsburgh location for a couple summers.

(Getting food on shelves is a skilled job. Not everyone can do it. Next time you're shopping, consider that every time you take an item off the shelf, chances are someone put it there the night before, and they'll likely replace it tonight, and every night, night after night, for as long as they work that aisle.

Stocking is known as "throwing." The biggest night I ever had was when I subbed for Lowel Liefers in the canned goods aisle and I threw 600 cases. By morning, I had only an M-kart left over with 50 cases or so on it. I got a lot of pats on the back for that one. I much preferred Frozen and Dairy and so took a job there when I had the chance. I was told by someone I respect a great deal that I was the best dairy clerk in the company. I believe he was right.

All of this was with a different retailer, not Loblaws. An entire Loblaws truckload might have been 1,000 cases in those days.)

The Quality Foods Dad retired from is now being remodeled for Erie's Harley Davidson dealership. There was once an Eckerd Drug in that plaza. There is still a dry cleaners. Across the street and down a ways was a Zenith TV repair shop. It's now a custom jewelry store called Relish. Across the street was a full service post office.

Imagine a day when you needed to go to a handful of different places to get groceries, prescriptions, do your dry cleaning, mail a letter, repair an appliance, and do other daily errands; this wasn't the city, this was the suburbs. A modern Mayberry that has since disappeared. One trip to Walmart and Wingman's (further away but next to each other) gets you everything you need in one trip. And you don't know anyone in them. Hellos are hollow. Meats are factory cut before they reach the store. The parking lots are bigger than the stores. Shopping is dehumanized. Like eating for calories and not taste.

How boring.

Quality Foods closed at 12th and Powell in Erie, PA circa 2012-06-17