So today we went to Walmart. I felt that this was a “must have” experience when travelling to the United States. I have seen so many emails that contain not so flattering photos of the people that shop there....so I just had to see this for myself. Ok...well....for that reason...and the fact that I have not been able to find any fat-racks in L.A and given the photos of the....shall we say.....shape challenged people that visit Walmart....I figured that perhaps they may sell clothes for those that make the weighing scales scream. I had completely forgotten that those images also show people wearing their pyjamas; their bathing suit; and even just their underwear. This in itself should have told me that Walmart do not sell clothes. However...I'm apparently too thick to recognise this....and still wanted to visit there.
As we wanted to head back to Beverly Hills in order to allow me to stalk Gene Simmons (of KISS fame) we decided to go to a Walmart that was on the way....which was in the suburb of “Crenshaw”. On the way I had our video camera taping as I have done every day. I figure that not only is this a way to show my children what America looks like...it is also a fantastic memento for us. I tend to hold the video camera one way...and look around at everything else. I am fascinated by the signage over here – there is so much of it, and it is so different to what we have at home. We stopped at a red light and I turned to look out of my own window (on the right hand side) as I heard a loud voice coming from the next car. I was met with a stare from the driver who was an aging negro, and his passenger. I looked down at the video camera that I was holding, and then looked around to see where we were. We were in a very poor neighbourhood (although different from Venice) where there were bars on everything including the bakery and bridal shop; there was graffiti on the shopfronts and walls; and the side walks were overflowing with African-Americans (not that there is anything wrong with them). I looked back down to the video camera and asked the Bear whether he thought that I should put it away. He thought that I meant to put it away because the locals wouldn’t appreciate me filming them. I told him no...that I was worried that they would want to steal it! I should have slapped myself right there and then!
As we drove into the car park I was desperately searching for another white person but alas there was none. I looked at every other vehicle expecting it to be harbouring a potential assassin and looked at every person as the potential gunman. However for the first time in my life I recognised how uncomfortable it must be for an indigenous Australian when they are placed in a completely white society and are looked at as though they are not welcome. I recognised that despite the fact that I never considered myself to be racist, I was very clearly being that right now. I was embarrassed to conduct this honest self assessment. Still....when we were walking towards the front doors of the shopping plaza I walked more hesitantly than if I were heading to the gallows.
Inside there were black people everywhere.... I mean everywhere. I was sure that we had walked onto the set of the “The Cosby Show”. Every person you have ever seen on one of those shows where the people are predominantly African-American, are real. Yes people....they are real. I would not have been at all surprised if Fat Albert came bounding along. I fully expected to see every colourful character from “Coming to America” including the sleazy priest. I am sure I saw my first real “pimp” having breakfast at McDonalds and I am fairly sure I had a neon light flashing above my head that said “Yo mofug! Shit scared white beeeatch!”. I was very grateful that my Bear was being very supportive and reassuring because I was getting ready to leg it outta there!
Before long though I became side tracked with all of the different things that were there. In particular, there was a n odd vending machine. A baby vending machine. I found this to be a very strange concept and chuckled to myself when I pictured this as being a painless way to have a baby. Throw in a few dollars and the machine could spit out a pre-selected baby. I seriously needed to see what was in a “Baby Vending Machine”. It turns out, that everything in it, is for a baby. Just the same as you can pay and receive a can of coke, or a packet of chips....in this machine you could get a diaper, or a teething rusk; or something similar. I thought this was FANTASTIC!! With that we headed into Walmart (it is within a shopping centre) and started on the Walmart Experience. Well....well.....well....
This is the most AMAZING store! It has anything and everything (with the exception of clothing) from pharmaceutical items, to groceries, to department store merchandise etc. It has the most amazing prices I have ever seen! There is no possible way I can make a comparison to any store in Australia because there simply isn’t one. This chain provides good quality products for exceptional prices. This Walmart was on two storeys – which I thought might present a problem. If you fill up a trolley upstairs...how do you get it downstairs? Or...vice versa? Never to mind! They have escalators....which travel along side a trolley carrier. When you want to go upstairs or downstairs...you pushed your trolley onto the carrier...then jump on the escalator and meet each other at the opposite end. It was great!!
Never one to turn my back on a bargain, I could have cried when I saw what I could purchase however was bound to stay within the limitations on what we could carry home. I made a mental promise to check online to see if I could order there, and have items shipped. What I found more amazing....was the fact that once I mingled with the locals....I completely forgot about being the only white chick within this shopping plaza.....and forgot I had expected to be mugged. I wanted to slap myself silly for being allowing myself for having such thoughts in the first place.
The African-American people turned out to be much friendlier than a large percentage of the white people I come into contact with. And just for the record....those photos that you see of Walmart patrons...the ones that show people who really don’t care what they look like when they visit the store....well they do actually exist. They are there in their overwhelmingly tight clothes with their thublubberters spilling out and their back boobs poking out of the arms holes; or wearing their ridiculous makeup...or even dressed in just their pyjamas. They might be a few kangaroos short in the top paddock....but as it turns out.....they just want a bargain too!
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