Dear Wal-Mart,

I have been a faithful customer since the mid-80s when your fancy store came to my little cow-town and swept me off my feet with your friendly greeters, fluorescent lights, and blue vests.

I've never wavered in my love for you, even when others left you for the ultra-sheek Target or Meijers. I never believed the rumors that you were systematically destroying America's quaint downtowns with your mega we-have-everything-under-the-sun-in-one-store store.

Even when your vendors' labor practices were called into question and Kathie Lee Gifford had to pay sweat shop workers out of her own pocket, I stuck by your side. I even defended you to those who believed you should pay more taxes, provide better benefits, pay larger salaries or do more to support the communities you are located in.

In return, you have rewarded me with numerous Rollback prices, smiley face stickers at the front door, and hundreds of dollars worth of products I didn't know I needed until I saw them sitting on your shelves.

I think we've both benefited from this 22-year relationship.

That's why it pains me greatly to tell you how disappointed I am with you tonight. The first 20 or 30 times it happened, I was happy to look the other way because I knew it wasn't your intent to hurt me. But I can't move forward as a dedicated shopper when I have to wait up to 30 minutes to check out of your store at 9:00 at night.

You've always made me feel special with your 26 checkout lanes; I thought those 26 lanes meant you valued my time and wanted to insure a quick and efficient exit. But when you only have 2 of those 26 lanes open, and there are upwards of 15-20 people in each of those two lines, well, I'm not feeling very valued. Or special.

I shop at night to avoid the long lines during the day, and so I can browse your 225 aisles at a leisurely pace without silver-haired people in motorized wheelchairs chasing me down.

So it's with a heavy heart I end this letter. I haven't decided if we should break up forever. Maybe we just need to take a break. That will give you time to hire 24 people to run your registers at full capacity and me time to use all the products I purchased tonight that I really didn't need. I know breaks can be difficult, but if absence does make the heart grow fonder, then we'll know we were meant to be together forever.

Yours Truly, Natalie

Dear Wal-Mart,

http://momnaction.blogspot.com/2008/06/dear-wal-mart.html