The Good Ol' Days

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Walgreens looking for glycerin which I had heard that you can make great bubble solution out of. I had visions of the kids and me, in the backyard making bubbles big enough for them to fit into. I had no idea where to even begin to look for glycerin. What is it even used for (besides bubble formula)? I had just heard that you could buy it at a drugstore. So, I asked a clerk. She said "I don't know if we carry that anymore." After I inquired where to look to see if they had any, she waved vaguely at the other side of the store and said "It would be somewhere in first aid." So, off I go to the first aid aisles. I look for a good long while, then I ask another clerk. "That would be in first aid." Gee thanks! So I ask the pharmacist "First aid" DUH! "What is it used for?" I ask. She told me a couple of vague things that I can't remember anymore. So, I begin to look for those type things. I even tried looking at the ingredients in products, hoping to find something that was glycerin based. I just figured it must be some old-fashioned remedy that no one uses anymore. No luck. I eventually gave up.

Disappointed, I was on my way home, when I noticed Rinderer's Pharmacy across the street. It's a mom & pop kind of a place that I'd never really paid much attention to before. I figured I'd give it a try. I stepped inside, and it was like stepping back into the sixties. ("Welcome to the Sixties! Oh oh oh oh oh-o-o-o-o!" -Hairspray with my Michael Ball. Quit it with the M.B. already, dork!) Everything there looked old fashioned from the shelves, their funky stockings, to the price tags on them. Clearly a store for old folks to buy their medicines, scarves for their heads, walkers and such. I decided not to beat around the bush, but asked the first clerk I saw. She was sitting at a large desk with another person across from her. I'm not sure if he worked there or not. They gave off the air of two people playing a friendly game of checkers, or something. They chatted friendily with me, and told me that I could make "bubbles as big as a house" with my glycerin. The woman pointed and said "the last aisle over there, against the wall, on top, in about the middle of the section." "Thanks!" I say and head over. I begin scanning about where she had directed. After about 30 seconds, when I hadn't found it yet, another clerk asked me if I needed any help. "Yes," I said, "I'm looking for some glycerin." She smiled and picked up a bottle and handed it to me. I proceeded to the check out lane. A couple of older women stopped me to admire my baby, and to talk about how they had had six of their own back in the day. Everyone there was very friendly. I left there thinking "I can't even remember the 'good ol' days,' but I think I miss them."

BTW, the bubbles ended up being a bit of a disappointment. Not really any better than store bought bubble solution. Maybe I'll experiment with it another day. It was about 500 degrees outside that day. I didn't really give it much time to impress me. So much for all that bother!