Rocking the market cart

I recently purchased a Market Cart. It was a tough decision. With my white hair and “mature” looks, pulling a wire cart does nothing to make me look on trend. 

But, I wanted to be able to expand what I can purchase when walking to the supermarket, so I decided to do it. 

My cart is sturdy aluminum with a tasteful taupe fabric case that zips nicely and protects my purchases from rain or snow. The wheels work smoothly and navigate curbs and steps with ease. 

I get smiles from neighbors and even people just driving by as I wait to cross busy North Avenue. I try to walk straight and tall with an easy, casual step that I imagine a much younger person would use to try to balance out the aging effect of the cart. 

I tell myself that my cart is delightfully European. People in Europe walk everywhere, and they use a cart to carry the purchases they make in the many small shops they visit in their delightful little European towns. 

At the supermarket or farmer’s market I lock my cart to a bicycle rack, and shop away. When done, I transfer items to my cart, unlock it from the rack, and off I go. I’ve been able to purchase previously un-walkable items (A gallon of milk! A watermelon! 5 pounds of potatoes!) and wheel them home, no problem. 

Recently, a neighbor looked me right in the eye and mentioned, twice, how much she liked my “old lady cart”. Each time she laughed and said she shouldn’t call it that, but in the end I guess she just couldn’t resist. I decided not to take it personally. 

She’s actually a very nice neighbor, and she’ll be my age before she knows it. 

And, I may start calling it my Euro Cart. Has a certain quality of je ne sais quoi, oui?