Shopping with Ben

How many hands have I got? Just two,
one for the basket and one for you,
I pick up some butter, and where do you go?
A panicked, "where are you?" I really don't know.
"Put down those biscuits, come here hold my hand.
The "tut tut" of shoppers who don't understand.
Here comes the tantrum, throw yourself on the floor.
A great line of trolleys leads back to the door.
Eventually, at the checkout, a great display of sweets,
that every child waiting is drooling to eat.
"Please mum, please", I hear you cry.
Followed by a "no", and the half expected "why"?
If he doesn't stop this wingeing, I swear I'll ring his neck.
The five customers in front of me all pay by cheque.
Eventually we get there and the shopping goes through,
you try to help the way three year olds do.
The man behind moans while I frantically pack faster.
In goes the beans, the toilet rolls and pasta.
"Hang on I don't remember buying that,"
a tin of whiskers when we haven't a cat!
Fumbling with handbag, carriers and purse,
the situation couldn't get worse.
With a sigh of relief we reach the air outside,
On a pink spotted cow you scream for a ride.
There goes the twenty pence into the slot,
"one ride only" I say, "that's your lot".
Crisps clutched in your hand, we finally make it home.
But next time I swear, "I'll go shopping alone"!
                                 
Melissa Williams