Read the short story by Nathan Adler below and answer the following questions:
a. What is the topic of the short story?
b. What is the main idea of the short story? (Remember that this can be explicit or implied)
c. What is the writer’s message to his audience?
Use examples from the short story and explain your answers.
The Grocery Store Stand-off by Nathan Adler
They were in a store, shopping. When it came time to pay, Lilas pulled out her status card for the PST exemption, a small but helpful reduction in price. Every little bit helped. The man frowned, “I’m sorry Ma’m, but we don’t accept those here”. Her face darkened, like the shadow of a storm cloud passing over-head.
Uh-oh, he’s in for it now, I thought. But instead of getting angry, or arguing with him or pointing out to the man that it was a Treaty Right and not up for discussion, she simply compressed her lips into a thin line and walked out of the store. She spent the rest of the day on the phone, making calls:
“Hello, Marie-Anne.: This is Lilas . . . “
“Hello, Josephine.: It’s Lilas calling . . .”
At 7:00, later that evening, a horde of Anishinaabe women descended upon the store that wouldn’t accept Status Cards for PST exemption. They loaded up their carts, filling them to the brim with products and household items, which their families used on a regular basis.
The angry phalanx of women advanced upon the checkout counter with military precision, fully prepared to make their purchases with Lilas in the lead.: If they had had tails, they would have all been swishing. When it came time to pay, Lilas pulled out her status card for the PST exemption.
The man frowned, “I’m sorry Ma’m, but we don’t accept those here”.
The corners of her mouth turned up in a small smile as she turned on her heel and walked out of the store with a run-way model swagger, the angry phalanx of Anishinaabe women followed her, leaving their brimming carts standing there, ready for re-shelving.
