99 Cents

I've heard my dad say I remember when a coke was 10cents.  My mom never says things like this because she was poor.  She does talk about getting underwear and oranges for Christmas in a nylon stalking though.  I find this to be equally as fascinating and removed as 10cents for coke that comes in a glass bottle.  I wish I could buy a glassed bottle of coke for 10cents and I also wonder if the nylons were new or used.

The closest I can come to 10cents for anything substantial is a store where everything is 99cents.  AKA the 99 cent store.  I don't like telling people I shop there because I don't want them to think I'm poor.  I'm usually the only white person there besides the old lady buying food.  I always assume she buys her food there so she wont have to buy cat food at VONS grocery; PETSMART is too expensive.

I don't buy my food there.  My mom told me it comes from Mexico and other dirty places.  She told me I might get worms from eating it.  Worms sound horrible.  I don't want to get worms.  I imagine them coming out of my butt and when I try to pick them out, they suddenly suck back in; it makes my butt hurt just thinking about it.  Then one day at VONS I saw that their tomatoes came from Mexico.  Now I'm less paranoid about it and I bought some oranges for 99cents one day.  They weren't bad.

Candy!  I love to buy candy at the 99cents store...and jiffy pop too!  Do you remember Jiffy Pop?!? Jiffy Pop, popcorn!  I am convinced the candy is old movie store candy they never sold so it ends up at the 99cent store. I am convicned of this because it comes in the same display container as the ones you buy at the movies!  Nothing taste better than candy from a cardboard box.

Trash bags, deodorant, lotion, sometimes shampoo, but never toothpaste I also buy for 99cents.

Theres something about putting your trash in a trash bang with a red pull tie for 99cents that makes me feeling better about producing trash.  Not to mention 99cents Secret deodorant that keeps me from sweating body odor while taking out that trash.  Plus taking a shower that when I get out my Jergens coconut scented lotion I did not pay 3.75 for will be waiting for me to lather on is a delight.  Sometimes I even match a 99cent Suave coconut shampoo to go with it.  I use to even buy my toothpaste there, but then I thought what if its made in China and Ive never bought it again for 99cents.

I'm not sure why I love buying things for 99cents.  Maybe its because it makes me feel closer to my parents and their childhood.  Maybe the idea of being the only white person makes me feel accepting of other cultures and brave.  Maybe I'm Cheap or like to save.  Whatever the reason, I'm thankful there is at least one store left in the United States where I get my moneys worth!