Engaged to a Puerto Rican Diary: Rural King
When you’re from a rural Midwest town, you get used to a few things—long drives, farm equipment everywhere, and the occasional pit stop at a store called Rural King. If you’re not familiar, Rural King is a farm supply store that’s basically the Midwest’s answer to Walmart but with a farm twist. They sell everything from work boots to tractor supplies, plus they often have free popcorn and… baby chickens.
The closest airport to my hometown of Morrisonville, Illinois, is a good hour and a half away. By the time you land, get your bags, and make the drive, you’re starving. Litchfield, a small town on the way, is our last real stop before home, so we planned to meet my dad, “Pops,” there for dinner. But before that, I had a special introduction to Midwest life in store for Gabe.
We needed to pick up some work boots for Gabe since his Vans weren’t exactly farm-ready. So, I took him to Rural King, letting him know there was a surprise waiting for him. As we walked in, I pointed him toward the free popcorn machine, and he was already lighting up with excitement, happily filling a bag and loading it up with extra seasoning salt. Then, I leaned in and whispered, “Okay, now we’re going on an adventure. Look down. See those yellow chicken footprints on the floor? Let’s follow them.”
Following the yellow footprints around the store, Gabe was completely absorbed, munching on popcorn and glancing around as if he’d entered a whole new world surrounded by farm boots, horse feed, and John Deere toys. Finally, we reached the back corner of the store, where the footprints led us to troughs with heating lamps and tiny, chirping baby chicks.
Gabe’s face lit up as he took in the sight, and he looked at me with pure delight, exclaiming, “Your Walmart has chickens!” I couldn’t help but laugh; his excitement reminded me how wonderful it is to share my world with someone who appreciates the little things as much as I do. Right then, I knew—this guy is definitely worth keeping around.
Comments