Not Your Average Day Shopping

(Leah, This one's for you.)

My grocery list is small. Only 10 items and I'm out of the store, on my way back to the beach.

Allen drops me off near the front door and we both see a jaw-dropping sight: a gazillion and two high school kids (actually 220, I learn later), all wearing blue shirts and many grabbing shopping carts to head into the store ahead of me.

Yes, it's a monster grocery store.

I grab my own cart and follow them inside where a sea of blue spills everywhere. Except in the fresh veggies and fruits, where a dozen or so older people stand and stare.

As do I.

What I see are kids having a great time, shopping for groceries. Laughing, rushing here and there. Checking lists. Being very polite. I notice an adult wearing the same blue shirt that says "Plano East High School" on the front and "Spring Break 2011" on the back. So I ask. What's up?

The answer makes me smile.

All these kids are members of the Plano East High School Marching Band and are in Corpus Christi this weekend for the state competition. They rode in three buses for eight hours to stay in condos that have kitchens, but no food.

So, the kids came up with an idea. They formed teams and plan to do the Iron Chef thing to feed themselves and their band leaders and chaperones. The winners get to be, well, the winners.

The menus? I noticed a lot of macaroni and cheese in those carts, hot dogs and pizza. Pepsi. Cereal. Oh, yum.

I grab my 10 things and head to the front where all 25 cashiers stand ready. As I head to the door, I see a blue wave rising. Let the competition begin.