3298. The grocery list © Bruce Goodman 15 August 2025

If there was one thing Iris detested it was having to shop for groceries. She had got it down to a fine art: one visit each month. She would keep a shopping list next to her bread maker and jot down what was getting low in the pantry or bathroom. Usually the list was as long as her arm. One thing she most disliked about going to buy groceries was having to get dressed up. A lot of people these days wear whatever at the supermarket, but Iris had been brought up proper; one doesn’t appear in town looking like one has just got out of bed. The grocery shopping day arrived! Iris took the list and put it in her blouse pocket. She placed several recyclable shopping bags on the passenger seat of the car. She turned the washing machine on in the laundry so that the washing cycle would be complete when she arrived home. She got into her little car and headed for the supermarket. Upon arrival at the store she couldn’t find the extensive list she had made. She was sure she had put it in the pocket of her blouse. It simply wasn’t there. Then she remembered; it was in the blouse pocket which she had put in the washing machine. Contact Author Back to Index Next Story Previous Story