The Best View in Greenville

I seem to write a lot about being in the parking lot of Publix. That’s because I go to the grocery store at least twice a day.

That’s not a joke. I love to go to the grocery store every day. It reminds me of living in New York. Not only would I pick up just what I needed for the day, but I also had specific places to go for each thing. There was C Town for my staples. The vegetable store for my fruits and vegetables. The coffee shop for the muffins I liked. It wasn’t the most efficient way to shop, but it made me happy.

Is there more of a reason than that?

It drives Jaimie crazy. Her idea of shopping for groceries is calling Bite Squad. This particular feature of hers gives me an aneurism, but hey- opposites attract.

Yesterday I found myself back at the Publix near my house after leaving a particularly challenging yoga class. I felt nauseous the whole time, and I have been having some trouble breathing for the past few months. These breathing problems are exacerbated by doing exercise in 98 degree heat while the instructor is telling me to focus on my breath. Since focusing on my breath makes me cough, I spent a good portion of the class on my back while people Warrior Two’d over me.

Afterwards I sat in my car trying to decide what to do. I knew I needed to pick us up something for dinner, but there was nothing I wanted to eat. I watched the glistening people walk out of the studio. I envied them. They were all so blissfully unaware of the fact that they were breathing normally.

After my five minute pity party I drove across the street to the Publix. It had been cloudy most of the day, but all of a sudden the sky was clear and the sun was setting.

The Publix near my house is in a strip mall. There's a Tipsy Taco, a Super Cuts, a Pizza Hut, one of those cheap Hibachi restaurants that are all over town. It also has THE most beautiful view in the city of Greenville. I’m serious. It looks like Provence. If you don’t believe me, just drive to to the Publix on Pelham Road and see for yourself. It looks like you can touch Paris Mountain, behind that the Appalachians seem to roll on forever in the distance.

I went inside and got Jaimie a California Roll and me a lemon for this salad I like to make. As I left, the sky was on fire. The best view of the mountains is beside the drive through of the Pizza Hut. I didn’t realize that pizza places had drive-thrus. Isn’t part of the joy of ordering pizza walking into the restaurant and being hit by all the smells? I didn't know there were people would rather sit with car idling inhaling exhaust fumes.

So I went and stood next to the drive through window of the Pizza Hut. I hated that this view was wasted on a strip mall. That was my first thought. But if it wasn’t a strip mall, it would probably be some rich asshole living here, taking the view for themselves. At least the strip mall parking lot was open to the public. I pulled out my phone to take a picture, but it didn’t do it justice. I was proud to be from a place this beautiful. For a moment I forgot about the cough and the yoga class and enjoyed the splendor of my home town. Then a truck rounded the corner and made its way to Pizza Hut’s drive thru window, reminding me that this was a place of business after all, and that it was time for me to go.