The Case of the Mysterious Snow Shovel

I love you, Triangle.  I really, really do.  That being said, you're not so great when it comes to a snowstorm.  Don't be offended, we can't be great at everything.  I mean, we're already on every "Best Place to Live" list there is.  I'm not great at math.  See?  I just admitted I am bad at something, too.  Now we're even, right?

I moved here six years ago, and before I came, I sold my snow shovel at a yard sale.  Yes, it has snowed a significant amount since I moved down, but at the times it snowed, I lived somewhere that someone would take care of the plowing, shoveling and digging out for me.  Like, an apartment, and then a townhouse.  We moved to our house over two years ago now, but it hasn't snowed.  It only just occurred to me yesterday that this time, after many times of crying wolf, the prognosticators could be correct:  it's gonna snow.  And, I don't have a shovel. 

I left work yesterday in search of one.  Hit up the Walmart on New Bern.  Nope, all out.  Drove by the grocery store, just in case.  Nah, no shovels there.  Surely, Home Depot would have what I was looking for.  Here's how that went down:

Me:  "Hey, uh, do you have any snow shovels?"

Young girl at HD  "Um, like, uh, we got garden shovels in the garden department?" 

I get that it doesn't snow here a lot.  But dude, you work in a store where you're supposed to know the difference.  I gave up for the night and went home to search every store, seemingly everyWHERE, to see who had what in stock.  At ten last night, I finally found a store with them--the Walmart, of all places, by my old apartment.  The one on Glenwood Avenue. 

I got up early, and went on up there.  Man!  Did the ol' Walmart come through.  Not only were there shovels right by the front, but there was something else I haven't seen in a super long time:  Prestone de-icer.  I almost never see it here.  When I lived up north, it was a staple in my car, no matter the time of year.  I mean, why take it out?  I can still hear the cans clattering around in the trunk as a I take a sharp turn. 

So Walmart ended up saving my butt in the end.  Although, it hasn't snowed yet.  Maybe actually being prepared for something this time will pay off.  Even if I did procrastinate for six years before buying a shovel. 


Alli