The other day, I injured (broke ?) my leg. I am now walking with a cane which is a slow process. So, when I went to Meijer’s (regional grocery chain) last Saturday, I decided that I would use one of their little electric Amigo scooters to do my shopping.

The scooter was a one seater, and reminded me of an episode of Seinfeld. The only difference was that this one had a wire basket on the front. With a forward and a reverse and nimble steering, I found that I could maneuver quite easily.

Realizing that I would be limited in my reach, I took Kathy with me. She had a regular size cart. I would stop in front of the items that we needed and she would load them into her cart.

Since Kathy is known for making frequent sudden stops, we decided that it would be best if she followed me. This would help maintain marital bliss as well as insuring that she didn’t end up in my basket.

When you are in one of these carts, you have the vertical profile of an eight year old. And since there is no bell or horn on the thing, you can only hope that people see you.

As I started down the International Foods isle, I noted that there was a huge congestion in the center. No problem, I just put it in reverse and backed up. That is when I discovered that you could do “Rockford” turns with the cart. Impressive, though the fat woman with the shopping cart gave me a dirty look.

When we hit the produce section, with its bunkers and its islands, I found the cart to be quite agile. A few quick turns and I found myself going through the product section like I was running a giant slalom. First the onion gate. Then the potato gate. Finally I crossed the finish line at the bakery.

All and all, I would highly recommend the Amigo carts for anyone with a marginal impairment but bring your own bell.