Plastic Wrap

How were we to know that when we walked into that Costco nine years ago, we would be coming home with a new addition to the Alden family? We simply went in for laundry detergent, sliced cheese and peanut butter.  We were so young.  So naïve. So unprepared.

I don't know whose idea it was, perhaps it was mine.  A question so casually asked; "Do we need plastic wrap?" And we did. Yes, we did in fact need plastic wrap. So, we bought plastic wrap. Seven hundred and fifty feet of plastic wrap

Within three months, the detergent was gone, the cheese and peanut butter too.  But the plastic wrap? Why, we barely scratched the surface - a mere three feet at best. 

The years passed.  We moved from Bristol to Bristol and brought the wrap with us.  A few more years passed, we moved from Bristol to South Carolina - Bill, Janet, Ginger and the plastic wrap.... we all moved 800 miles to South Carolina.  We had become so attached, so fond of our plastic wrap, it was hard to imagine a time when it was not a part of the Alden family. We were planning another move soon and of course the wrap would come with us. 

A few months ago, I noticed that the roll was getting smaller.  I needed to tell Bill. We needed to prepare ourselves. Plus, he had a right to know. The thought of not having plastic wrap in our life, why it never occurred to me.  Oh, when I think of my plans about taking the wrap to our new home - I was so sure that we would always have the plastic wrap in our life. 

I was home alone yesterday, and as I feared, I came to the end of the wrap. I am not ashamed to admit that I wasn't strong enough and I waited for Bill to come home. I couldn't do it without him. Besides, he had a right to be here. We would say goodbye together. 

With Bill's steady hand on my shoulder, I used the last of the plastic wrap to cover my oatmeal cookie dough. It was done. I wiped a tear and Bill got his keys.  We were going to Costco.