The "best" spot

For my Dutch dad, no shopping trip is truly a success unless two things happen: 1) he gets the rock-bottom price on the item he's looking to buy (Hey, how was copper wire invented? Two Dutch people fighting over a penny! Oh, chill out. It's not offensive if you are Dutch to make fun of the Dutch! I digress...) and 2) he has the closest possible parking spot - preferably a shaded one - immediately outside the door nearest to the department in which the item in question is located.

Therefore, when going to the grocery store, my dad cannot fathom why I - a woman who shops with a small child - wouldn't want the parking spot that is practically in the frozen food section. No, my coveted spot is right next to the shopping cart corral.

Don't go thinkin' "Aahhh! She wants to be responsible and not leave her empty cart in the middle of the parking lot to damage other people's vehicles!" While that's a nice perk, my reasoning is far more selfish.

If I can park next to the cart return, my germ-o-phobe self can put the boy's Floppy Seat into a waiting cart and not have to, ick, stand him in the cart while I arrange the seat cover. He can remain safely in his car seat whilst I can make faces at him and still be able to protect him from all those nasty germs that the little kid whole last rode in the cart picked up at daycare. He is oblivious to the fact that sucking on the handle of the cart or the mesh safety belts is fabulously disgusting.

Yeah, I like the spots next to the cart return the best.