Grocery Adventure of August 17, 2023

I have had overtime lately, so I decided to treat myself to a Grande size Iced Latte with the extra pennies I earned. The rest of the money goes towards producing and promoting my books.

I'm still not sure if the overtime is just a coincidence or if someone is trying to spy on me while I'm working on my secret project, SWARM. My co-worker calling off work to care for her husband with medical issues may have nothing to do with it. She's been through a lot, and I can't imagine how they're going to make ends meet on her security guard salary. But seeing her situation made me feel more secure that my privacy is not being invaded.

I was squeezing in some time to finish final touch-ups during overtime at work before sending my last series of SWARM before publication.

I know some people might think I'm cheap for buying a Mr. Brown coffee can from China. It's just a little brown can with a subtitle that says Iced-Coffee but I drank it straight from the can in the Safeway parking lot. I didn't have a mug with me, and the ice would have melted if I left it in the cooler in my car. So, I decided it was worth the price to buy a Grande size Iced Latte.

Regarding Lattes, I've wanted to buy an Expresso Machine. Some are affordable on Amazon, but you get what you pay for depending on how often you use it. Plus, there is no space. I live in Silicon Valley, and the expenses of living alone here have succeeded as millionaires, it's ridiculous. Yes, I still live with the folks. I have to follow their rules not to end up homeless or pitch in with strangers, who might steal my entire identity, perhaps even my internal organs, to sell them to make ends meet. The drug trade is also the gold rush in Silicon Valley.

Cartels living alongside engineers from India and China in the suburbs are common. Most work for Google, Yahoo, and Apple, with so many generic microchip companies - several gold-rushers are from the east coast, like Michigan; whites and blacks are flocking here, and Mexican is humorous that they are considered immigrants by foreigners themselves after succeeding Naturalization Ceremonies.

Regardless, the policing got it under control as far as business. Only the ones that blatantly had too much of a bad reputation can only be shown in the news; looting at jewelry ponds to hitting an elderly Asian to name a few. Home intrusions and auto theft for donut street anarchy parties also increase the crime rate. Los Angeles and Nevada aren't far as far as the Porn Industries and The Bunny Ranches. Back to the illegal gold rush, the one that makes you highly intelligent is also popular. But not me, man. No, I don't touch those.

I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. There are a lot of people struggling to make ends meet in Silicon Valley. But I'm determined to make it here. I'm going to finish my book series, and I'm going to make a name for myself as a writer. Although it's overrated when someone says, "Just so you know, I have your book here with your signature when you become a millionaire." Oh my god! Something to look forward to, I guess. Now I see who's blocking my Facebook; money is great, man. But put that knife away (being dick), or I'll drive by your ass, homie (call 911 on'em).

"Drop it dick! The neighbor says you're shooting at their kids!"

"But it's only a BB gun... (laugh) Look!"

"Drop the gun!"

(unloaded three times like San Jose is now a colonist name)

"Stay on the ground! Don't move anymore! Pretend you never existed! Is he down?"

"Fuck... his way down the underground. Damn Moron was shooting at some oranges with his BB toy."

Thank you, but I depend on an AI for my memory issues. For the past years, I have lost count of what kinds of food I've been consuming. I already survived a stroke, thanks to creativity. I wasn't aware that people go to the ER for tiny splinters.

It's my day off, and I usually do some grocery shopping. Besides Safeway and Foodmaxx, I also go to ethnic markets. This explains why Silicon Valley's ridiculous rents are so high: we were here to mingle in the first place. But immigrant families can easily live together in one bedroom, almost like they did back where they came from, but with better-equipped bathrooms. If you made it with a medical career, you're very lucky to live here. Just use it creatively, other than investing what you have earned in the stock market, and next thing you know, you might beat yourself in the end or someone else's who is innocent, from losing the ultimate vacation of losing yourself to the Bermuda Triangle to name one, I heard it's a daring idea with organic Instagram million likes—perhaps the best of the latest Tesla series, at least, man. Now you have nothing to impress friends; you genuinely care about the climate.

I thought so too, but my brain functions more toward the right brain, and I'm very private when it comes to creative careers. So I've chosen something more superficial. Not saying it's always fair, but less stress was the reason, perhaps. Even so, it's been more challenging to level up than I thought. Things are not supposed to be intruded upon in this way, as far as your secrets to the top. And it can be dangerous. The human resources department might think you're a street gang member, doing a drive-by shooting, to let them know they've crossed lines.

Anyway, I'm more comfortable at Asian and Pacific markets. The smell of fresh fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, pastry desserts, and other frozen goods always brings back good memories. Not today, though. I didn't want to buy some fish, with free service fish cleaning and frying—maybe next time.

Before going to the grocery, I went to buy some affordable pizza at Little Caesar. The sunny season made me do it, and it would be heavenly burping it out after downing some lime sodas. They told me it would only take 15 minutes. "How about 1 hour?" I said because I'll be at Safeway, then to Foodmaxx. She thought I was joking, adding up telling her my name is Vicente and her knowing with my obvious Pacific Islander features, it's not the common Samoan or Tongan name. So, I laughed it off with her.

"See you later, Vicente," she says, followed by a short wave. 

Hmmm... why is it so amusing telling her my Latin name. I'll be back in a little more than 15 minutes, I thought. 

In time a little more than 15 minutes later, I got my pizza, the ice latte, and the simple grocery, which is Sugar-Free Jam from Smuckers and Wheat Bread from Safeway. They are for food at work to drink with Pour Over Coffee, ground from whole beans from San Francisco; the brand is called the Fog Chaser. 

The organic aroma is always good for the soul as you pour it down the funnel that filters into the coffee pitcher. 

To make this reason short, I had to cut down on sugar from getting Donuts and Cupcakes at the cafeteria. Nurses and doctors sometimes bring food to share in the breakroom, where I get water to fill up my drinking bottle. Some are the same kinds from the cafeteria, and some are the much fancier ones that are typical snacks for the wealthy. But good ol Smuckers with sugar-free between slices of wheat bread will do, along with a thermos coffee bottle full of organic coffee.

The rest of the grocery is at Foodmaxx, just enough for a snack and something to skip the fast food drive trus this week. 

It wasn't long ago until my doctor told me, "Perhaps it's not a kidney that is failing, but an infection?"

Infection? However, The pain continues, and I research what's a terrible diet for Kidney Infections online. 

Fish was the common answer that was good for me. Even vegetables, but avoid too much vitamin K in vegetables. Great, I thought, because I love fish. I had mostly done that in my diet for a long while. And the pain did reduces. Out of the blue, though, the pain returns. If I get my kidneys removed, it will cost me a lifetime slaving for medical bills. And how about my mission to finish my book series? 

Finally, I Googled infections to the Kidneys. "Maybe it's an infection?" I remember. Then, a further Google search took me to Urinary Infection, which is common to old folks. So I went to Walgreens right after work; although I am a Security Guard in the ER department at a hospital, I managed not to enter the ER to end with high debts; this is the part where envy takes place, seeing people with mental illness have the luxury to keep returning to the ER for no apparent reason; commonly complaining they don't feel well and don't know what it is, acting irrational complaining nothing is fixed. 

"The same fucking giant creepy bunny is at the front of my house!" they yell. But that's not the staff of the ER business to go after giant creepy bunnies. 

"Lay off the harmful medicines," the medical staff suggested. 

"But... but I am drug-free! Man!" they continue yelling. 

Blood reports, however, do not lie. Let's just end it there. In addition, it's even worse; I have to talk to most of them, that there's nothing wrong with them physically, and it's time to escort them peacefully to the Bus Stop, Uber, or Lift to Taxis. But all along, my back was tremendously in pain.

This medication from Walgreen felt like my Kidney was removed the next day and squeezed out all the infection before placing them back.

Although it felt like the infection was gone, I researched more on Amazon. And seeing the high rates and outstanding reviews convinced me enough to purchase this. This time, although I am not supposed to consume processed food as I get older, my back felt like it had an expensive surgery, and finally debt free from medical bills. 

Now imagine that had happened. Vince, congratulation, you don't have any debts to pay now, man. Now, enjoy a hot dog, and it taste even better plain with some lemon soda or pour over coffee. 

Not after finishing some cheap good pizza; I will have the good ol hot dog the following day.

Mother also made some Pinoy dessert; I hope I'll go naturally before seeing her in heaven.

Please support my dream as an author by purchasing my books on Amazon. Stay tuned for SWARM: Home Sweet Home, the science fiction novella I am preparing for publication. It is the last in a series of five.

Main Website

WWW.VINCENTCASIL.COM