One of my favorite summer fruits is the cantaloupe – not just because it’s scrumptious, but also because every time I see one I think of my father. He absolutely loved cantaloupes. However, the silly thing about Dad and cantaloupes was that he didn’t just want any ol’ cantaloupe… no, it had to be a tasty, ripe cantaloupe at the right price; then, and only then, would he buy them, usually two or three at a time.
You see, Dad was a bargain man. He loved a deal more than anyone I know, except possibly my sister who has carried on his legacy. Bananas and milk were a staple on his weekly grocery list (whether we needed them or not), but seasonally he hunted grapefruits and his beloved cantaloupes. It didn’t matter how far he had to drive or how much zigzagging he had to do in order to reach the prize. He was simply happy that a great bargain was there for the taking. Dad’s circuit usually only spanned five to ten miles max, but he could rattle off the milk and banana prices at every grocery and discount store in between. Several years ago I took notes from one of our family dinners and the conversation went something like this:
I’m going to Sam’s Club on Wednesday to buy milk. They have the best milk price going at $2.59 a gallon. Both K-Mart and Wal-Mart are charging over three dollars for their milk.
My sister suggested that he might want to stop by a different Sam’s on Tuesday since it was on his way home from his golf game. He declined, however, citing senior citizen discounts were only available on Wednesdays, and where’s the logic in missing that?
She tried again by pointing out that Publix had their milk on sale for $1.99 a gallon. Again, he rebuffed her suggestion noting that the sale price was only good for one container provided you made a $10 purchase, hardly worth the effort. Besides, Sam’s also has bananas on sale for .33 a pound.
It’s been almost a year since Dad died. To this day I cannot buy milk, bananas or cantaloupe without smiling. And so, it is with great love and affection that I am able to report that on this Father’s Day, Publix has cantaloupes on sale for $1.99. It’s not the best sale price, but then again, my skills pale in comparison to his.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad. You’re the Greatest!
You see, Dad was a bargain man. He loved a deal more than anyone I know, except possibly my sister who has carried on his legacy. Bananas and milk were a staple on his weekly grocery list (whether we needed them or not), but seasonally he hunted grapefruits and his beloved cantaloupes. It didn’t matter how far he had to drive or how much zigzagging he had to do in order to reach the prize. He was simply happy that a great bargain was there for the taking. Dad’s circuit usually only spanned five to ten miles max, but he could rattle off the milk and banana prices at every grocery and discount store in between. Several years ago I took notes from one of our family dinners and the conversation went something like this:
I’m going to Sam’s Club on Wednesday to buy milk. They have the best milk price going at $2.59 a gallon. Both K-Mart and Wal-Mart are charging over three dollars for their milk.
My sister suggested that he might want to stop by a different Sam’s on Tuesday since it was on his way home from his golf game. He declined, however, citing senior citizen discounts were only available on Wednesdays, and where’s the logic in missing that?
She tried again by pointing out that Publix had their milk on sale for $1.99 a gallon. Again, he rebuffed her suggestion noting that the sale price was only good for one container provided you made a $10 purchase, hardly worth the effort. Besides, Sam’s also has bananas on sale for .33 a pound.
It’s been almost a year since Dad died. To this day I cannot buy milk, bananas or cantaloupe without smiling. And so, it is with great love and affection that I am able to report that on this Father’s Day, Publix has cantaloupes on sale for $1.99. It’s not the best sale price, but then again, my skills pale in comparison to his.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad. You’re the Greatest!
