Garrett’s Hardware

Garrett’s Hardware, May 21, 2025

Another hot sunny day,
Here in Healdsburg town.
I fired up the Jeep
And headed down
To Garrett’s Hardware
At the north end of town.

The traffic is heavy,
Tourists, Mexicans, and Anglos.
Where they’s all goin’
Dang if I knows.

But I made it to the parking lot.
The sun beat down
Oh, it was hot.

I lurched to the yellow poles,
The store put up years ago.
A woman hit the gas,
Into the wall she did go.

So Garrett’s put up these bollards
To keep the crazy’s cars out.
I hang onto them tightly
As I lurch about.

I make it to entrance
Grab my shopping cart.
I hang onto the handles
’Til death do us part.

Over to the fertilizer
And onto the TP.
Paper towels
For our family.

At the register
Is the young señorita
She scans all my stuff
Rings it up on the meter.

I go to pay
With the Mastercard.
This tappin’ business
Is mighty hard,

For an old analog
Guy like me.
The señorita
Seems to agree.

She taps my card
And I’m on my way.
I push the cart
Across the driveway.

I load the Jeep
Take the cart back
Grab the yellow poles
And backtrack.

I fire up the Jeep
And I’m on my way.
Enough fertilizer, TP, paper towels,
For a month I’d say.

Stopped to get gas
Five-fifty a gallon!
Is this liquid gold
That they’re sellin’?
I made it home
And unloaded it all.
I made it
Didn’t fall.

That’s a victory
In my estimation.
To go out there
And return
From the destination.

TJM