Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Breaking up is hard to do

You helped me through my first halting weeks here in Spain. You gave me my camera, my Discman, the bery computer on which I'm typing this last billet-doux.


¡Oh, Corte Inglés! We had some good times, didn't we? You introduced me to my first limón helado. My first Kas bitter. Tortilla española. So many new tastes to savor. In those first heady days, it all seemed worth that premium price. Even, here in Madrid, that seven-block trek home with the groceries.

But times change, and we move on. There's a new supermercado in my life now. It's called Carrefour. The reason for my change of allegiance? Well, I think you probably know that already. Carrie is so much less demanding than you. Why, just yesterday evening, I paid a paltry 22€ for a cart of groceries for which you would have asked 40€, you demanding jade.

Please don't get me wrong. We'll stay in touch. Next time I crave abuse at the hands of a shop clerk, I'll be sure to stop by. But pay 1.19€ for a bottle of soda water that costs 0.39€ at Carrefour? ¡Vete a freír espárragos, querido!

In aisle 5. If you can afford them.

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