_____ on Earth

Pin It The four grocery sacks weighted arms like lead as I emerged from the grocery store. Under their weight I made my way to my car at the far end of a parking lot under a scorching August sun. Just why had I parked so far away from the store in the first place? Mostly it was because of the lone patch of shade I’d managed to find—therefore I’d been willing to traverse the extra distance hoping to find a car somewhat cooler when my grocery shopping was finished.

The earbuds of my iPod were securely positioned as I walked—and my playlist was set to random. A much-loved Billy Joel song had just ended, and as I moved myself and my heavy load across the welted asphalt, I wondered what tune would be next.

Spice Girls – Wannabe.

I did a double-take and shook my head in surprise; what in the world was that doing on my iPod?

However, at the moment didn’t matter how the song had gotten there, the point was is that it was there; and with arms loaded down there was nothing I could do to stop it. I quickened my pace as I practically ran the distance through Dante’s inferno with this fiendish noise ringing in my ears.

This is how I picture Hades.

When I finally reached my car I practically threw the bags into the backseat and ripped the earphones from my ears, switching the music to something else—anything else—after all, if that isn’t warning enough to live right in this life, I don’t know what else could be.