By Mike Johnson
The Asian chow mein noodles weren’t the only reason for the 200-mile drive.
Egg Foo Yung would be, but I can get that served hot in Cody.
I love supermarkets, so a percentage of my off-mountain entertainment is focused there.
The family-owned stores are the best.
I’m still mourning the demise of Mr. D’s in Powell (and for that matter, Steck’s in Cody 20 years ago).
I saw it coming once Albertson’s announced their new store, but still, it was sad watching it play out.
Everything has a “Use-By” date, even family grocers.
But every geezer, infatuated with tradition, is steamrolled by the speed of expiration.
Blair’s in Powell always has the skinny version of crunchy chow mein noodles that are so often out-of-stock at the corporate grocers in Cody.
I’m a dinosaur, so still enjoy mixing the two taped cans of La Choy and pouring them over the crispy noodles.
It’s one of my stock meals in the mountain pantry.
Blair’s also have Goldfish pretzels which I mix with cheddar Goldfish.
Pour a bag of each into a gallon baggie and you have a salty snack that can be nibbled for a month.
Or a week.
I’m not koi about eating Goldfish.
The Red Apple in Lovell attracts me for their lemon Danish and store-baked bread.
And those small barrels of Plochman mustard that nobody else carries anymore.
These are the most likely item in my estate to get the kids’ attention after my funeral.
“What the hell’s the deal with all this mustard? We should've put dad in a home years ago."
Basin has an IGA supermarket.
Which is a magnet due to the different, small-town brands.
If Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben and the Land-o-Lakes Indian ever return, they’ll appear in IGAs first.
Our grocery tour around the Big Horn Basin ate the daylight hours of Saturday.
We snuck in lunch at a small diner in Greybull.
And hit two junk shops there.
And lamented the A&W being closed again.
It’s been for sale.
Which is torture because I‘ve imagined buying an A&W my entire life.
I’ve resisted because I have enough restaurant experience to know I’d regret ownership after about five minutes.
But it’s a pleasant dream.
Which is where it will stay.
I may be infatuated with tradition, but any deep ambition has long ago been steamrolled by expiration.
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