My Aunties at Safeway said "Not Today Satan!"

#Storytime

I love going into my neighborhood Safeway at 6am because there are virtually no other customers and the workers there are all my aunties. Not my actual aunties (shout out to all of you), but slightly older black women that are always taking care of me when I don’t even know it.

Case in point: My 3-year wedding anniversary is coming up and I happened to see a gorgeous card from the now bankrupt luxury card brand Papyrus (RIP) but it didn’t have a price tag. I didn’t give it a second thought because, privilege, but also, how much could a card possibly be, right?

I proceeded to the self check out with my mask and my gloves on and scanned all of the rest of my items before the card. I did this because the card looked fragile and I was going to put it on top of the rest of the groceries. Now, every time you scan something, the machine screams the price at you and everyone within earshot can hear what you’re paying.

So I finally scanned the card and the machine (let’s call her Molly) told me that the card was thirteen American dollars.

$13 dollars . . . for one card.

Without skipping a beat, the auntie who was working the machines heard the price of the card, came over to check that she had heard the price correctly before taking the card off of my bill and out of my hand.

Now . . . I have to pause right here, because this was so special to me. This is the blackest, boldest, most beautiful, auntie-est thing that has ever happened to me in D.C.

It is no secret that I do not feel seen here. That I feel like an outsider in this space. And I can’t help but thinking that the staff at Safeway, all of whom are people of color, feel the same way.

And yet, for a moment, we laughed. For a moment, we were safe. For a moment, we were together. She didn’t think to ask if I wanted to keep the card . . . SHE KNEW!

My auntie said “Not today, Satan” and I could not be more thankful for being seen.

Happy Sunday, y’all!

The Trendy One . . .

While you’re here, have you check out the latest episode of “The Family We Choose Podcast?” Please go check it out - you won’t be disappointed!