Swim Away

This is a 750-word non-fiction short story I wrote and submitted to several publications in the summer of 2013.

Title: Swim Away

“Mommy, I want to ride in the cart too!” my five year old shouts in my ear. I struggle to lift all forty six pounds’ solidness of her body. I grunt and plop her down next to her fourteen month old sister who is not happy at all to be fastened into yet another strap.

Cries of protest from one kid are heard while squeals of joy from the other are made.   I just want to get in and out of this grocery store as quickly as possible.   Where is my list? I spot it on the floor next to a gum wrapper. I pick it up. Then my baby girl takes it from me and flings it back on the floor. So much for a fast visit today, I think to myself.

“Mommy, I want to pick out the apples and I want to choose the bananas too.”
“You’re sitting in the cart so you can’t reach them this time.”
“Can we get a cookie?”
“Maybe before we check out.”
“Can I get more cereal?”
“No, not today.”
I cross off diced tomatoes, olive oil and wait….damn it, I forgot the mustard on the last aisle.

“Mommy can I have a balloon?”
“We’ll see…”

When the hell did grocery stores become carnivals for kids? Geez, I just need to grab a dozen things and then be on my way.

Okay, next is toothpaste. I have a coupon for that. I think…. As I dig into my purse, I pull out the last two market receipts but no coupon. Shit, the one thing I had a coupon for and I misplaced it, like so many things lately.

“Miss, you have two beautiful girls,” an older gentleman says, interrupting the rant inside my head.

“Thank you,” I smile and say politely back. Please be a nice man and not a pervert , I say internally.

“Mommy, are we almost done? Can I get my cookie?”
“Not if you keep rushing me. We won’t be much longer.”

Cauliflower, milk….ooh a sale on hotdogs! Yes! Sadly this does excite me.
Paper towels, toilet paper….

Clunk!

“Mommy, you knocked over those things on the shelf!”
“Yes, I know sweetie, keep your voice down please.”

Wails and cries from my youngest child begin to form.

“Mommy, why is my baby sister crying?”
“I don’t know, maybe she wants us to hurry. Maybe she wants it to be quieter. Let’s try to be quiet for the rest of this store visit and then we’ll get our cookies, okay?”

Did we run out of hand soap? I can’t remember if we still have a big bottle of the refill or not….

“Hi, do you need help finding something?” a teenage clerk asks me
“No, I’m just thinking of a few other items I may need. Thank you though!”

I maneuver down another aisle.

Clunk! Crash!

“Mommy, you just knocked over those books and magazines!”
“Yes, I see that. Thank you for pointing that out to me.”
“Why do you keep knocking over things?”
“I guess mommy is having trouble focusing today.”

I plot a new course with the over-sized cart while my two kids drive me batty. As my mind drifts again, I miscalculate the display stand in front of me.

Crash! Topple! Topple!

Before my five year old utters another syllable, I put my hands over my ears. Then I cover my face. I block out all the noise and distractions.

Pull it together, I tell myself. I will not cry in the middle of this store. This is silly. I just need a little break. I just need to jump into a cold pool and swim away for several minutes. That’s all. Just swim away. Hold my breath. Hear nothing. See nothing. Simply feel the waves of my own arms fleeing from actuality. I used to love swimming as a kid. I just need to swim again. Water is calming. I need calm. I need….

“Miss, miss, I can help you with that,” the teenage clerk repeats his words again, snapping me back into reality.

I look at him puzzled for just a moment.

“It happens quite often really,” he says while picking up the orange-colored fish cracker boxes, the ones I caused to fall on the floor.

Swim away little fishes, I laugh and mutter to myself. Swim away from me and my children while you can!

“Mommy, can we get that cookie now?” my one-track minded daughter asks yet again.

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I am still looking for a home for this short story.  If you like it, please share it.  Otherwise, it will just keep swimming down the grocery aisles…