I went grocery shopping today. Here in San Francisco, getting groceries has become an obstacle course. It’s how I get my weekly exercise.

It starts as soon as I park. Before I’m even outta the car, there’s a tap on the window. It’s the box boy.

“Roll it down!”

I roll it down.

He says he’s out here “collecting shopping carts… you know… Tips!”  He flips his phone in my face. He’s got the TipMo app. The screen says: $1 / $2 / $3.

A tip? For what? Maybe I’m going to the post office. Maybe I’m here to meet a Tinder date.

Way back in the 70s, when I worked as a box boy, I never got no tips. I double-bagged groceries, I pushed heavy carts through parking lots, I loaded up trunk after trunk. Maybe I’d get a nickel. Maybe I’d get a dime, a silver dime if I was lucky.

I look at the box boy at my window: “Hold on a sec… Maybe I got some change.”

Then, while I’m fingering junk in the cup holder, the box boy loses his patience and slinks off to pursue more promising prey.

That’s when I make my move!

I’m out of my car, dashing past the empty Waymos. When I get to the train of shopping carts, I tug and I tug till I yank one loose.

Fortunately, it’s a weekday morning. There’s no kids around, no one selling TranScout cookies.

Right as the automatic door swings open, a woman with a clipboard needs a couple signatures.

“Maybe later!” I say. I try to push past her.

But she flips her phone around in my face: $2 / $4 / $6.

I fake a grab at the clipboard, then cut left, squeeze right… I’m into the store! Touchdown!

So, I’m in the produce section, but I can’t find the Honeycrisp apples. I ask the guy stocking the broccoli. “Honeycrisp apples?” he asks. He pulls out his phone to check their location. “Oh! Oh! Over here!” And leads me to the apples.

And I am so grateful for this small simple kindness. I say, “Thank you so much!”

He flips his phone around: $3 / $6 / $9.

I can’t believe it!

I tap a nearby woman squeezing cucumbers.

“What’s with all this tipping?”

“Times are tough!” She flips her phone around: $12.95.

That’s enough exercise for one week.