Chapter One
“Good, good, gooooood… morning,” Big Mouth said as he swiftly rolled into view of the other shopping carts. “I’m so happy this morning that we are finally getting covered up. I tell you that dust was really getting to me. It was stopping up all my holes so I couldn’t breathe and the other day a huge bird flew over and dropped his unwanted load on top of me. Talk about gross… but look at me now. I’m ready for the day all shinny and feeling twenty five again. Today will be better than yesterday too. Ya’ll know I was the first out and the lady that grabbed me was so mean. She threw everything she picked up into my belly, even milk. I thought I would be swimming in milk for sure. I guess all you other carts are quietly laughing under your breaths at me just thinking about that. Well…that’s okay if you are. I was watching Bars with that cute little girl riding in his lap as he smoothly rolled around showing off. I just can’t wait for some little one to come bringing their blanket and settle into me.”
“Yeah Big Mouth, we get your point. Maybe if you didn’t talk so much you would get that kid you keep hoping for,” said High Roller.
“Those kids can’t hear me talking,” Big Mouth replied with no hesitation.
“They can hear those wheels of yours squeaking and that happens when you’re talking so there you go. Yes, they can hear you,” said High Roller as he held his head high in the air hoping to be noticed by a classy shopper.
“It’s not my fault they won’t fix my wheels,” Big Mouth loudly blurted towards High Roller causing High Roller to twist his body around so that he was facing Big Mouth.
Once in position he eagerly said to him, “If you would stay in the shop area you could be fixed up. Every time you get put there for the following day’s repairs you leave first chance you get. Don’t tell me it’s not your fault. It is your own fault. “
“Uh… yeah, I have to agree with High Roller. You would be fixed and you would stop shocking your shopper too,” Bar quickly added his two cents worth.
High Roller could hear Sleek snickering from a distance behind him. She had been moved in a little while back from California and she was sure a good looker who got all the male carts attention instantly. He talked with her every chance he got. She was way more sophisticated than the other carts like Big Mouth.
“Look at her,” Big Mouth said.
“Yeah, she told me that where she came from they were trying a new approach. All the carts were ready and waiting for the customer as they arrived with six plastic containers setting side by side in their belly. Then the shopper could keep all their purchases separate as they gathered them,” High Roller told them with a huge grin on his face because he was thinking about Sleek.
“So what…,” said Bar, “the shopper still has to take them all out and lay them all on that moving belt so they can pay for what they got?”
“No…, you didn’t let me finish,” High Roller said. “The shoppers used their phones to scan the bar codes and paid for it as they picked up their purchase piece by piece. Once they finished gathering what they wanted they were ready to head for the parking lot. They didn’t have to go to that moving belt thing. Sleek said their way was fast and efficient.”
“Wow…,” said Big Mouth. “I can’t believe how things are changing. We use to be just carts and now we can really think for ourselves and we’re actually a tool with a real purpose.”
“Imagine that,” High Roller replied as he rolled off toward the sound of Sleeks giggles.
“What did he mean by that?” Bars asked Big Mouth.
“Duh…he meant that I am smart,” Big Mouth replied. “Now be quiet here comes a nice looking little boy with his momma. She might choose me and I’ll get a nice kid for a change.”
“Whatever,” Bars said as he snickered and rolled away.
