Grocery Shopping in Norfolk

Funny story: While in Norfolk VA, I was tasked with making a grocery run while John and Jordi went on a quest for a new alternator belt. I started walking in the general direction directed by someone inside the mall complex. I walked.... and walked. No store in sight. Just as I was going to abort mission, I saw a.... umm.... "underprivelaged" sort of fellow carrying grocery bags. Score! "Excuse me... where did you get those groceries?" The dirty, unkept, disheveled fellow directed me to his source. I walked on. As I walked, I noticed I was in "da projects" and I also noticed a very distinct and palpable lack of caucasian residents. Hmm. Peculiar. Trash littered the sidewalks, and many of the late model imported compact cars parked on the streets seemed suspended in time... dormant for years. We're not in Kansas anymore. COME ON, GROCERY STORE. Walk a little faster... it's getting dark. Getting looks from the locals..... yes, I'm white. There's the store!! Whew. Walk faster. Trash litters the parking lot. People are yelling Ebonics at each other throughout the parking lot. A policeman on foot patrols the parking lot. I enter the store. Another policeman patrols the inside of the store. Lovely. More looks..... yes, folks, I'm still white. I won't be in here long, I PROMISE. Quickly acquire items on list. Focus.... focus.... be courteous yet cautious. While shopping, I overheard an obviously local woman accosting the on-foot patrolman about how unsafe her neighborhood is. Her tone was as if he cared, and as if he had any sort of power to change it. I shopped on..... Checked out and called a cab. When I loaded my groceries into the cab, and got in, the cab driver told me that I was lucky she came to pick me up, because she makes it a point to never come to this neighborhood. She just happened to be close by, so she swung by on the call. She asked me "who sent you to THAT grocery store?!". I explained. As it turns out, there was a much nicer, and demographically compatible grocery store within two blocks of our marina. That information would have been great to have about an hour ago....... at least I bet I saved a few dollars. And if I needed to stock up on Malt Liquor, I went to the right store: