Grocery shopping: cart maintenance program

Self-tutoring about grocery shopping experiences: the tutor reflects on one he had today.

At the grocery store today, I knew I would need more than an armful of items, so I plugged a coin into the nearest cart. I then readied myself to give it a good pull to free it from its train.

Yet, even as I gripped its handle with my second hand, I could feel this situation was different: the cart was responding from just a subtle pull, separating easily from the others. I backed it up another few feet, then gently turned it around. I could feel its bearings turning smoothly.

I looked at the cart more carefully and noticed it wasn’t new. Apparently that store is maintaining its carts so they roll pleasantly. I continued to be surprised with how nicely the cart moved as I piloted it among the aisles.