In the Fall of 2003 the four of us got together for a wedding in Maine. In route to the wedding, we all met in the White Mountains of New Hampshire to do some Mountain Biking. We found the
Jigger Johnson camp site on the
Kancamagus Highway near North Conway, NH. I arrived late, and the boys actually did a fair bit of riding that day, and we ended up setting up camp. As the boys got changed from the damp ride that day, Thomas & I went into North Conway to stock up on substinence (Beer, Chips, Creamer for the coffee, Beer, etc...). We headed to the local
Shaws Grocery Store (Pronounced Shaaas in these parts of New England).
As we finalized our selection, we approached the checkout line, as we always do, in a courteous manner, (it never hurts to be polite to the locals...) when, as we were placing our beer, creamer, chips & beer on the checkout counter, we must have done something inadvertently to offend a
bluehair. Never-the-less, as we started our checkout process, and as our next lesson in culture unraveled; A Korean teenager began to ask us if we had our Shaws Card ("Hey Buddy, 'Got yaoa Shaaaas Caaad Handy?"). After the initial shock of seeing this obvious native New Englander speak in the Native tongue, and the realization that Koreans actually did live in New England had sunk in, we answered in politely that we were from out of town, here for a wedding of sorts and that we did not have a card...
Never-the-less, Thomas, in his ever courteous manner turned to the
bluehair behind us (Being totally oblivious, as was I, to the fact that she was offended by our very presence there.) and asked her if we could use her "Shaas Caad". In that moment, I was actually taken a-back more so than maybe ever before. She was direct, loud, and indignant in her response of "NO, YOU MAY NOT USE MY CAAD!" with almost an offended look as if we should know who she is and how we are beneath the level of even initiating conversation with her...
To our bitter disappointment, all further attempts to apologize to her for our obvious misinterpretation of her approachability and our offensive acts, (Whatever they may be) ended with no appeasement for this "Powerful Woman of substantial (age) wisdom and experience...Luckily for us, the Korean Native New Englander, had the etiquette of a Midwesterner and gladly punched his card to the now heightened chagrin of the Queen of the Stoneage behind us.
As we left we joked that maybe there was some underground cult associated with these Discount Cards, as we never had problems with these at
Food Lion,
Piggly Wiggly or
Albertsons... Anyway, several months later, our newlywed Chad sent an email out to those of us in his usual humorous (or attempt at humorous) way explaining that the Shaws Card Mafia was indeed a reality, not an urban legend, and that these women were actually to be feared. "Beware of little Blue Hairs with Discount Grocery Cards...They are more dangerous than they look!" And the Shaws Card Mafia was Born...The rest is living history.
Anyway, though I would share some pics instead of political commentary for a change!
