I have to confess that I love it. We went for the first time recently. And even though my threshold for being in Costco is similar to any other store (20 minutes), when we left I felt like we had just experienced a legitimate and valuable life moment. As we left the parking lot and headed to Arctic Circle for a cone, a small smile crept onto my face and I thought to myself, "This is what family is. A trip to Costco and ice cream." Do you feel me? It's not about the consumerism, I don't think. Not about "things." It's not about finally having such an "exclusive" membership either. I honestly can't put my finger on the Why of it all but it was a crucial growing-up-into-a-real-man moment for me. Similar to taking the family to a Pixar matinée or State Fair. Maybe it's because it creates instant nostalgia. Or maybe it's just me.
On a side note, I had to visit WalMart recently because they are the only store in the area that still sells a VHS head-cleaner. (We have a DVD/VHS combo as a part of our Delux home theater set up.) When I walk into WalMart, I get instant depression. For me, it is like I am Dante. I look around and see plentiful evidence of the Seven Deadly Sins. It's everywhere. Covering everything. In fact, I think I saw Sloth, Lust and Gluttony having a three-way in the Home Furnishings section while Envy looked on. I'm sure the fruits of their labor will be a little Greed in about 9 months. Wrath, in his little blue smock and badge, rushed in and tried to break it all up. Yeeeeesh.
My store-visiting threshold plummets to three minutes when I enter a WalMart. Does anyone else get as earnestly sad as I do upon entering Sam Walton's Hell? Or is that just Pride talking?
