In the early 1990’s when “dollar stores” were kind of the “new thing,” another young mother and I went window shopping at the mall, pushing strollers with our young sleeping babies.

The store called “Everything’s $1″ invited unnecessary spending with its wall-to-wall display of colorful variations of “must haves” that one usually doesn’t need and non-durables that one could actually use. (Would you believe I still have a mixing bowl I bought that day, which we use quite often? A rare durable purchase from the dollar store…).

Richard mentioned a few days later needing to find some new sunglasses after he lost his.

“Hey,” I said. ”There’s a store in the mall called ‘Everything’s $1′. It has some pretty cool sunglasses, and they’re cheap, so no big loss if they break.”

“Are you sure they’re only a dollar?” he asked skeptically.

I  said, “Well, yeah…it’s called ‘Everything’s $1.”

“Could you please make sure the sunglasses also cost one dollar before I stop there on the way to work” he asked, “Because I only have two bucks on me.”

I found the phone number and called, asking the guy who answered if the sunglasses in the store also cost one dollar.

Pause. “Is that a trick question?” he asked. His wit amused me.

I explained, “No, but I saw sunglasses there with tags that had prices of $5.99 and up and I was wondering whether they are higher priced.”

Another pause. Perhaps he thought I was prank calling him. Then with a tone that communicated, how much clearer could it be?…he emphatically stated, “Ma’am, everything’s a dollar.”

“Even the sunglasses?” I persisted.

“Everything in the store.” He was being nice, but I think he was starting to think I was an imbecile.

Richard stopped there for sunglasses on the way to work that day. I wonder whether the guy knew Richard had something to do with the simpleton who had called earlier.

I guess sometimes….rarely, but sometimes…things are exactly what they are.

© Alexa Lopez, 2009