Sassy Sue Is the Sharp Point of the Spear - Walmart and McDonald's

Walmart opens an hour early here, for those of a certain age. I was awake at 5 and decided to make the run. Sassy wanted to go along, so she jumped in the back of our modified Abrams tank, which looks just like a 2002 Voyager.

I was the first to enter at 6 AM, so I saw the largest WM at its best, after the night crew had all night for stocking, without customers to slow them down. Others followed me in, probably to buy what was least available, paper products, eggs, and a few other items.

The produce area looked great. I bought some sweet potatoes for Christina and tangerines for me. I looked for a few other things and went to the two paper aisles. I know how much we took from the back room on normal days, trying to snug everything into place, when I worked at a Neighborhood Market. The toilet paper aisle had about 20 packages (one per customer, please). Paper towels were similar, the aisle mostly empty, with a few packages of one or two rolls each.

 Sassy's favorite part of the evening is the delivery of one teaspoon of "Frosty Paws", but she gets real ice cream.

That is quite a sight, almost empty aisles at 6 AM - at the largest WM in the state. Beer, soft drinks, and snacks were packed full.

Sassy waited in the car, but reminded me with some sharp yips that we needed to stop at McDonalds. She enjoyed a bacon, egg, cheese and an ice cream cone. A young lady - who loves dogs and our dog too - talked to Sassy about her breakfast. Sassy is not sure I will order the complete meal her way, so she interrupts with loud barks. She sees the cashiers at the main point of contact, so she has plenty to say when we drive up to pay.

Sassy Yips for Her Cone

Ranger Bob laughs when we drive by, because I am the chauffeur and Sassy is my passenger in the back seat, barking out the open window.

Like any child, Sassy picks up on words that suggest something she enjoys. Yesterday I hinted at a trip for medicine and "should I bring back a quarter cheese plain"...Sassy's face turned toward me and she grinned her closing grin, "You are taking me along, aren't you?"

When I confirmed the trip, Sassy was all over the place, barking and bouncing around in joy. She likes the Town Car especially, because her window opens and she gets a ton of attention at McDonalds. The ice cream machine has been down, so I went with some worry about the main reason for going: not medicine, not groceries, not a sandwich, but The Cone. I eat the top part and she finishes, something we have done since rescuing her in Phoenix, about 10 years ago. There we went for bottled water and a sugar cone. Eating the cone meant having taps on my shoulder - from the back seat - to remind me that my passenger wanted her share.

Sassy was wound up for this trip. When I ordered, her face was out near the screen, making various canine sounds of impatience. Yes, they had cones! Yip. When I approached the window to pay, Sassy's favorite cashier was grinning at her. We spoke about the cone situation and Sassy began high-pitched yips of delight. The cashier loved the display.

Sassy turns an ordinary trip into an event. It usually ends with a Sassy story, and she enjoys hearing about her adventures, told to her mom in great detail. Morning walks are similar. People come out of their homes to see her, and she pauses at favorite homes to see if anyone is up and about.

Sassy refused to sit next to the McDonald statue alone.

 A stranger offered to take our photo with Ronald, so Sassy complied.