Power on my keychain

For a long time I felt bad at the grocery store when I would hand over my key chain. There, dingling and dangling beside my Smith's card was... my Albertson's card. The Smith's employees would all know that I was not a faithful customer. I was spending time with their enemy and arch competitor.

I felt like I was cheating on the store. They had placed confidence in me. We had gone so far as solemnizing our relationship through an exchange of personal information for a plastic card that gives me discounts. I, however, took advantage of their confidence by doing exactly the same thing over at the other store without telling them.

The cashier, with a hurt and confused look in her eye, might ask, "What is this?"

"But I thought we had something special!"

"How could you betray us?"

Normally I like it when people like me, so these thoughts, though subconscious, were troubling. Since recognizing their source, however, it has been a lot of fun. Now I'm in charge in the relationship. If you want to keep me as your customer you better make me happy while I'm here.

I am no longer ashamed by the two cards hanging off my key chain. They are symbolic that I'm not going to go shopping at any old store just because I have gone there before. If you don't have deals, I'll just go somewhere that does! My key chain is a symbol {cue music}, not of shame and distrust. No! It is a symbol of power, of freedom, and of the American Way!